


Ghosts From The Past

by LeonoraChris



Series: Ghosts [4]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mystery, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-05
Updated: 2015-06-09
Packaged: 2018-02-07 13:16:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 32,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1900323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeonoraChris/pseuds/LeonoraChris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony has finally joined the NCIS and is now Special Agent DiNozzo. There are still many bumps on the way, tempers fly and people come and go. New and old. And there is no present without past. No one said it was going to be easy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Say That Again

**Author's Note:**

>   
>  _The story and any possible original characters are mine.  
>  NCIS, its own characters and canon aren't._

Two months of forced vacation. Normally the very thought would've been too much for Tony to bear and it was, at first. The former Detective was not good with the whole ' _just relax for two months and do nothing_ '. For once he had done as told, but it was only thanks to his Italian relatives, who forced him to rest and recover just as the doctor had ordered. Thankfully, they also made sure he was never bored. Plus, a month of being surrounded by nothing but Italian language was a great way to refresh his own skills.

Only one month, because as soon as he was well enough, he decided to spend that last month traveling around Europe. He even went to climbing once. What Ducky didn't know, couldn't hurt him. Now he was finally back home with a healthy tan and healthy glow on him as a souvenir, which he was very much aware he'd been without for years. He _had_ needed that vacation desperately, but there was nothing and no one who could make him admit it. It was his secret to keep.

"Hey, Tony. You're back, and looking good. I can see why the Director started the war just to send you away."

Tony rolled his eyes. He was standing in the bullpen and looking at the time every once in a while. Tom Morrow had ordered him there, saying they needed to talk, which usually wasn't a good sign, but after the long vacation he was feeling too good to be nervous. "I looked perfectly fine before, Chris."

Chris Pacci looked highly amused. "Sure. Like the Death himself was standing right behind you the whole time."

"You're only saying that because you were there when Langer decided to use me as his punching bag."

"Whatever makes you feel better."

Tony had a mock look of hurt on his face, but he didn't bother holding it up for too long. Again, he had to admit that the vacation had done him wonders and he'd been having the time of his life, especially when climbing on those mountains. For the first time since becoming a cop, he hadn't even once thought about work and all that came with it. The good and the bad. "So, what are you doing here this early?"

Chris pointed at the stack of files on his desk. "I decided to leave the paperwork for Monday. Felt like a good idea at the time."

Tony winced. "Ouch. That's gonna hurt." He'd made the same mistake only few times, until he realized that it was not a good idea when you were a cop in a place where the work load was so much worse. Ever since then, he'd created his own system to go through and finish them fast, but never sloppily. When asked how he did it, he never revealed his secret, just gave people his infuriating trademark answer ' _work smarter, not harder_ '.

"It already does. So why are you here so early? Can't wait to get back to work? I'd be glad to share, you know." Chris smirked and then pointed at his stack of papers again.

"Ha-ha. No. The Director told me to come."

"Ah. I hope it's nothing serious, and has nothing to do with the bear in the bullpen."

"The bear... What did he do?"

"What didn't he do? Honestly, I'm impressed Vivian hasn't quit yet. I didn't think she had it in her. Although, I'm not sure how much longer she will be able to take it. There's been several missing children cases they've had to work with lately so Gibbs went from bad to worse and the other day from worse to a full meltdown. I'd say he went from a pissed off bear to a fire breathing dragon, in a matter of hours."

Tony shook his head. "I can't really blame him. Although, he really should find other ways to show off his temper. So much wasted potential there... And he's never going to keep any agents with him long enough."

"Oh yeah, guess how many of the new agents he's been scaring off in the last two months."

"I'd say a few, but with that look on your face, I'm guessing it's a lot more than that."

"Nine. _Nine_ perfectly fine agents who came here strong and full of potential, but ended up leaving weak and terrified for their lives, or at least thinking that Gibbs holds a whole lot more power than he actually does. The Director isn't being very happy and threatened to find the perfect punishment for Gibbs if he doesn't change his ways. I have to admit I'm kind of looking forward to that, especially knowing how good any punishments usually work on the old bastard. I feel sorry for you, getting him as your boss."

Tony could feel his good and happy energy starting to fade away, going down the drain until he was starting to feel, well, drained.

"Already regretting taking the job?" Chris looked sympathetic.

"No. Not that. I'm just wondering if the vacation was worth it."

The elevator opened and Tom Morrow stepped in the bullpen. Tony could be mistaken, but for a moment he thought the man looked relieved, and not just ' _good to have you back and looking healthier_ ' relieved. It was more like ' _thank God, you're finally back!_ '

Chris greeted the Director and stared after the two with curiosity as they disappeared toward the Director's office. He was pretty sure even Gibbs didn't know yet that Tony was back, or else he might not have even left work yesterday. That was the other curious thing. The Director had ordered Gibbs and Vivian home early and to not return until Tuesday. It was almost as if Morrow had done it on purpose, so that Gibbs wouldn't be here when Tony was.

Inside the office, Tom told the young man to sit down and then he observed him for a moment, before sitting behind his desk. "I'm glad to see you looking much healthier since the last time I saw you. I hope you will keep it that way. I don't want my agents passing out in my office when they fail to take care of themselves properly and especially not get killed in the field because of it."

"Sir..."

"In your defense, you were not officially my Agent then. But I don't want a repeat of that. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." Tony had to keep still, to not squirm on his seat. This Director made him feel like a naughty schoolboy, facing the principal.

"Good. Now, on a more positive note... Before your vacation, you passed your requirements with flying colors. I'm impressed. You've jumped ranks so fast that I think only one other person in the agency has done the same."

"Howard," Tony spoke softly and Tom looked surprised.

"Yes. How did you know?"

"He was my brother."

"Really? There is no mention of that in your files."

"Distant relatives. And he was more like a surrogate brother. We were really close."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"It's been ten years now, sir. Plenty of time to grieve."

Tom hummed, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. "Well, with your experience, you would be ready to be a Senior Field Agent."

Tony flinched. "Sir, with all respect... All you know is what's on the paper. You don't know how good I am from your own experience; no one in this place knows it. I need to first get used to the differences between being a cop and being a federal agent. Once you have seen yourself that I am good enough and you think I deserve it, then I'll be fine with it... My only wish would be to not be treated like a complete rookie or probie as you call it. I've already done my time as one, many years ago." And that didn't even count in all the usual hazing every time he moved to someplace new, and not to mention those special cases like Bolton and his goons who were flat out cruel and dangerous.

Tom Morrow was pleased. He had actually planned finishing his sentence with, ' _but it would be a little too soon for that just yet_ '. He knew from experience that many lesser men would have jumped into an opportunity to move forward as fast as they could, to reach whatever ambitious career paths they had chosen. Very few of them succeeded in the long run, unless they had someone doing the work and setting things up for them. Most knew how to talk the talk, but that was it. They had very little to offer. "Very well. That's what we will do then. Don't worry, your new boss knows you're not a probie. I made sure of that."

"You told Gibbs that?" Tony was surprised.

Tom looked guilty. "Actually, he won't be your boss."

"I thought..."

"We all thought that, but as I am sure Agent Pacci already told you, there's been some trouble lately because of Agent Gibbs. I told him that I have a punishment waiting for him, if he did not at least try to behave and keep his grown man tantrums outside work. We can't afford to keep losing good agents because of one man. He's not that good. And being someone from the older generation of agents and no longer as sought-after as they used to be, I can't protect him forever."

"Well, that's... ouch."

"He didn't take heed and instead of talking a criminal into surrendering, Gibbs provoked the man to give him an excuse to shoot, which he did, and doctor Mallard got himself another guest. The guy was a pedophile, the lowest of the lowest scum there is, so I didn't mind cleaning up the mess this time, but I'm sure you understand that this type of behavior should not be tolerated. Sure, he is good at his job, _when he wants to be_ , but I can't punish others while I let him keep going as he's been able to so far. I don't practice favoritism and I need to make sure my agents understand that."

Tony frowned. Hearing all that was a little overwhelming, but not really that shocking. "And what do I have to do with this?"

"Well, you see, Agent DiNozzo..." Tom leaned forward on his crossed arms. "Gibbs seems to hold you in a very high place in his eyes. He chose you himself and practically bullied me into accepting you, when he didn't even have to since I had already accepted you. A little speech from Abigal Sciuto, and seeing your files, were enough to convince me. He made the mistake of mentioning to me just how much he can't wait when you finally return and he gets a partner worthy of his time, as he puts it. In his own very arrogant way of course. So I decided to hit him where it hurts the most."

"By putting me in another team?"

"What you don't know is just how much he needs and wants you in his team. Tomorrow, when he comes to work, you will be working in the field while I will give him my _take it or leave it_ offer. He must earn you. If he can keep even one new Agent in his team for a year, willingly and not bullied into, then he can have you back. If he can first convince _you_ that you would much rather work with him than your current boss. Talking about your boss... He just transferred, so you'll meet him tomorrow." Tom stopped talking and obviously waited for Tony to say something.

"Wow."

Tom hesitated. "If you truly are against this and only came to work here because of Gibbs, then maybe..."

"Oh, no. I think this sounds amusing. So who's my new boss then?" Tony looked dead serious, but with a twinkle in his eyes and Tom laughed, trying to not look too relieved.

By the time Tony was back in the bullpen, he had shared the high points with Chris. For some odd reason, ever since that first phone call, the men had become close enough to share more than a 'hello' whenever they saw each other. And Tony trusted his gut feeling, that he could trust Chris to not spread this information, even if Tom had never said it was a secret.

Needless to say, Chris Pacci was surprised, but not unpleasantly so. "Well, this ought to be interesting. You've been at work for what, an hour at most? Where have you been hiding all my life?"

Tony laughed. While he was a little worried how big of an explosion Gibbs was going to be, he couldn't wait to put his skills to test as an NCIS Agent.

"Your boss won't be here for another day and you look like you've got nothing to do with your time, so... You still not gonna help me out with my paperwork? You know, a friend in need is a friend—"

"My new boss might not like if you borrow me and get the credit for it, so only in your dreams." Tony smirked and Chris sighed dramatically.


	2. Unhappy Encounters

From the moment he entered the bullpen early in the next morning, Gibbs knew something wasn't right. It wasn't that there was something he could see or hear; he just had this really nasty feeling in his gut. Plus, Chris Pacci was grinning and shouting his ' _good morning_ ' way too cheerfully. All that almost faded away though, at the thought that today would be the first day to have a certain former young Detective joining them.

"That Detective is not at work yet?" Vivian asked hopefully as she walked to her desk.

"It's Agent DiNozzo. He's no longer a Detective. If you know what's good for you, you'll remember it." Gibbs gave her a nasty look and Vivian looked away. As much as she had an attitude, she still couldn't hold the eye contact long enough.

As the minutes went by, with no DiNozzo in sight, Gibbs was starting to worry. At first he was simply irritated and swore to deliver a head slap and make it clear what he thought about being late. After thirty minutes however, Gibbs couldn't brush away the growing worry. Perhaps it was time to start making phone calls... If only he had told Abby to give him the young man's new phone number.

Tom Morrow stood upstairs and looked down at the bullpen. Now that the moment was finally here, he was second-guessing himself, whether this really was the best way to deal with the wayward Agent. Then Gibbs noticed him and he knew it was a little too late to have any regrets now. The decision had already been made and he even had DiNozzo's agreement.

"Gibbs. My office."

Chris grinned again when Gibbs walked past him. Oh, to be a fly on the wall.

* * *

While Gibbs was on his way to see the Director, Tony was on his way to a crime scene, where he would be meeting his new boss. When Morrow had given him the name, he thought it sounded somehow familiar, but hadn't given it too much thought at the time. Stopping his car next to another car, which he figured had to be one of the cars from the Navy Yard, Tony stepped out and frowned when he saw the people crowding around the crime scene, too curious for their own good, especially the kids. Not that he was one to talk, having been one of those kids a long time ago.

"Agent DiNozzo?" A man in his late thirties walked toward him.

"That'd be me." Tony took the offered hand. It was going to take a while to get used to his new title.

"I'm Hindall. Nathan Hindall. Your new partner and the SFA." The man had a firm grip, which was almost too firm. If it weren't for the friendly smile and twinkling eyes, Tony would have thought that there was some ill thought behind it. He was somewhat relieved when the man finally let go of his hand.

"So where's the boss?"

"Don't let him know you called him that. He prefers his given name. Come. We've been waiting for you."

Tony frowned and hurried after the shorter man. "I'm not late, am I?" It would be just his luck to mess up on the first day.

"No. You're actually just a little early. We didn't think Morrow would let you go this soon. It's just that we're still one Agent short and we really could use you and your fresh mind. Besides, we're almost done at the crime scene anyway. Just need to do some interviews and we'll be heading back."

Tony relaxed, but only slightly. It wouldn't be first time when he was told one thing, but in reality he was left to try read the real message between the lines. However, so far so good, so he forced his usual smile on his face as they stepped inside the building where the crime scene was.

Letting out a sharp whistle, Nathan waved his hand toward the few people standing in the room. "Valentine! He's here!"

The man, Valentine, looked to be somewhere in his late forties, but it was hard to tell. While he was taller than Nathan, his waistline looked like it belonged to someone who had spent more time sitting behind the desk and not a field Agent who was used to running after the suspects. "Anthony DiNozzo?" The man stepped closer and held out his hand, which Tony took with slightly narrowed eyes. There was something there... Something familiar. The older man licked his lips, looking suddenly nervous. "I'm Elian Valentine."

"Right. My new boss," Tony stated blankly and pulled his hand back. Then there was a sudden flash of recognition and he chuckled unhappily. "Of course. I was wondering why your name sounded so familiar."

"Hindall. Go see if doctor Mallard is done with the body," Valentine ordered and Nathan, smart enough to know he was dismissed, shrugged apologetically to Tony and he left.

Tony crossed his arms over his chest. "I should have figured it out the moment Morrow gave me the name Valentine. It's not like I've met many people with that name."

"Anthony—"

Tony cut him off sharply, "Tony."

"Tony..." Valentine agreed softly and awkward silence took over. Tony was waiting patiently what the man would come up with next. The older man chuckled nervously. "I can see that you are no longer a boy. Howard would be proud."

"You have _no_ right to speak my brother's name," Tony hissed and Valentine flinched.

"I'm sorry. I really am. I was a young fool. But believe me when I say that I have paid my price."

Tony only glared harder and Valentine looked away. After all these years, he still couldn't face that look. Of course, part of it could have something to do with guilt.

"I... I was too green back then, but of course I thought I knew better. Surely I could be just as good as Howard, if not better. It's a miracle where I now am. I'm here and he's... He's not. I made many mistakes, but I swear, I had nothing to do with your brother's death. As much as I didn't like him, had I known what was going on, I would have never left him without a backup. If there was anything he and I ever agreed on, it was to never leave your partner without someone to watch your back... Not too long after Howard died, I lost another partner. And then my firstborn died. That... It put things into a new perspective like nothing else."

Tony kept his face impassive, but he was listening. He almost closed his eyes when Howard's death was mentioned. It was still too raw for him and maybe it would always be. As mad as he was with Valentine, he did feel sorrow for the loss of another young life and the pain a parent had to go through because of it.

"It was hit and run and... Let's just say I've had a few attitude adjustments happen to me. I had to man up and set my priorities right before I lost even more, so I transferred and took care of what was left of my family."

Tony sighed. "Look. I'm sorry for your loss, I really am, but it doesn't change the fact that I really didn't hear good things from Howard about you. And then you mocked him after his death. I don't think I can forgive that."

Valentine grimaced at the memory. He had gotten into some big trouble for that. The Director had been pissed off and then because of it, he hadn't been there to watch his other partner's back, when their boss failed to do so. "I'm not looking for forgiveness. But I know why Howard was without a backup."

Tony narrowed his eyes. "What are you saying?"

"Our boss, Mike Franks. I don't know if you remember him..."

Tony raised his eyebrow and the look on his face said ' _oh really?_ '. Valentine almost chuckled at that. While the brothers weren't really brothers, he couldn't help but see his former partner all over this young fellow. It brought him plenty of mixed feelings. Some of them were bittersweet.

"He messed up. Big time."

* * *

"What did you do?" Those were the first words Gibbs spoke after marching in the Director's office. While Tom hadn't said anything, Gibbs knew he wasn't going to like what his sometimes Director and sometimes—grudging—friend was going to say to him.

Tom grimaced inwardly. Leaning back on his chair he huffed. "Jethro... Do you remember my warning to you, before you scared away the latest Agent I put in your team? A little green, sure, but that's why we call them probationary agents first."

Gibbs had the nerve to first glare and then smirk, like he was proud of himself. "Yeah. And I warned you to not keep putting incompetent people in my team."

Shaking his head, Tom took out a file and held it out for his Agent to take, who was too used to this by now and didn't move from his spot and simply crossed his arms with a stubborn stare. "Take it, Jethro. It's your new Agent, whether you like it or not."

"Why bother? Not like that one is gonna last any longer than the others."

"Alright. I'll lay down the law then." Tom glared and dropped the file on his desk. His glare may not have been the infamous 'Gibbs glare', but it was close enough. "Agent DiNozzo..."

Gibbs perked up hearing the name and then he frowned, having that feeling in his gut again.

"He is—as we are speaking now—on his way to a crime scene."

"What?"

"To work with his new team. I put him in another team, Jethro," Tom finished. It was simple and short. There was no need for long speeches with Agent Gibbs. Those didn't work on him any more than the short and to the point ones would.

He had known it would happen and he had mentally prepared for it for days now. Still, when it did happen, Tom couldn't help the flinch and he even wondered for a good few seconds if he should have actually called in a few agents in case Gibbs needed to be restrained. Truly, it was difficult to see this man as a Marine, when the smallest things—both asking nicely and ordering with authority—were like screaming at the wall, hoping it would obey and crumble. It was less painful having your teeth pulled out.

Gibbs exploded and that was putting it lightly. It was supernova Gibbs gone wild. Several things crashed on the floor as he jumped forward and slammed his hands on the desk. You could hear the crack when his fist connected with the desk again. "You had no right! He's _my_ Agent!"

Tom kept his calm and looked the beast straight in the eyes; possessive beast, ready to drag his loot into his cave and threaten anyone getting anywhere near his 'possession'. "I had every right, Jethro. He's not yours. He's my Agent. You brought this on you. I _warned_ you that I would have a proper punishment waiting for you."

"He's not a tool to be used! He has nothing to do with this!" Gibbs snarled. He was actually showing his teeth and for a moment Tom could almost swear he saw steam coming from his nostrils. Those who had lately nicknamed him the dragon, had not seen the real thing yet...

"Of course he's not. I want to keep him working for us and not let you scare the kid away before he has even gotten used to working as an Agent. I'd much rather let him see the good before knowing the bad, which is working with you. Let him know the difference."

" _I_ picked him! _I_ found him and chose him! I won't let you do this!"

Tom sighed. "Jethro... This doesn't have to be permanent."

Gibbs finally calmed down, but barely. He was still grinding his teeth together.

"One year. You will take this new Agent..." Tom tapped his finger at the file, which was one of the few things not on the floor now, thanks to him grabbing it in time. "...and make sure that the man wants to work with you for that full year. Without threatening him to agree to stay. I'll find out if you did. One year, Jethro. If by then Agent DiNozzo still wants to work with you, you can have him."

"Tom... There's no need to use him to punish me."

"The way I see it I'm doing him a great favor. You've got to see that. Deep down I'm sure you do. I don't know what's going on in your head lately, but you've been worse than your usual bastard self, and that's saying something. I don't want to fire you, but I can't let you roam around like a mad dog and scaring away good agents. As green as they may be, one of them could have become something big in the future. We can't afford to keep losing them. I know you know that."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes, but then he snatched the file from the desk. Of course he wouldn't be Gibbs if he didn't have the last word. Walking to the door, he stopped once more and turned around, with fury in his eyes; a promise that there would be plenty of stressful moments coming for the Director. "This won't end here!"


	3. Only Time Will Tell Where We Stand

Marching down the stairs to the bullpen, Gibbs ignored the curious looks coming from Blackadder. Then Chris Pacci rolled his chair closer to them and asked the question that made Gibbs want to punch something or some _one_ , even though he had spent good few minutes outside the Director's office, trying to calm himself down for a change.

"So, what did Morrow want?"

"I'm pretty sure you know what," Gibbs snapped and sat down behind his desk.

Chris chuckled. He was one of the few people who was, more or less, used to Gibbs and his moods. Although, even he knew when to stay away from the older Agent's firing range. "You know, Gibbs... This didn't have to happen." Christ saw the way the older man was clenching his teeth together, so he knew his time was limited. "You could right now be ordering around your new Agent. Instead, Tony will be handed over to someone else."

Vivian perked up at and her frown turned into a smile. She looked too gleeful for her own good. "DiNozzo won't be joining us?"

Gibbs glared at her, but it was Pacci who set things straight. "No. He won't. Agent DiNozzo will be working with another team. Director is using him to punish your boss."

"What are you talking about?" Vivian frowned again, while Gibbs scowled.

"Tony is the _instrument_ here for our Director trying to control Gibbs, who can then have Tony if it succeeds." Chris wasn't smiling anymore. Once again he was thinking about what happened between Tony and Brent Langer, and he hoped everything would turn out alright. He had known Agent Gibbs long enough to know that the man would get what he wanted, one way or another, but then there was now also the unknown variable DiNozzo, so nothing had been set in stone either. Chris also hoped that by the time Tony would join the team, hopefully Blackadder would have grown into a proper partner to work with, or decided to move on. Hopefully the latter.

Having said all he had wanted to say, Chris rolled back to his own desk, hoping he would still be there when Tony's new team returned.

Vivian scowled at the paperwork on her desk. "I don't get it. What's so special about him?"

"He has more skills and natural talent in his pinky than you could ever hope for," Gibbs snapped. He hadn't gotten along with the woman since day one. She was too much into her personal issues and goals to avenge her brother's death. Not that he was one to talk, as some would probably like to point out, which was irrelevant. She should focus doing her job and things like watching her partner's six. Gibbs would like to think that for all his own shortcomings, that was the thing he hadn't failed at.

Not expecting and not getting any answer, Gibbs opened the file Tom had given to him. He scanned over the papers lazily and didn't bother memorizing even the name of the new Agent, Steve something. That much he could remember and as far as he was concerned, he didn't need to know anything else. He closed the file after few minutes and thought for a moment about throwing it in the trash can, just to show how much he didn't like being made a fool. Instead he pushed it among his growing mountain of files, which he now stared at with disgust.

* * *

It was several hours later when Tony's team returned to the Navy Yard. After finding a lead, they ended up spending time outside much longer than they had thought they would. Entering the bullpen, Tony was joking about something with Nathan, when he saw from the corner of his eye Gibbs staring at them with gleam in his eyes.

"Is it okay if..?" Tony looked at Valentine who had also noticed the Agent glaring at them, or maybe at him, the man who had 'stolen' something that was his. While Valentine didn't know the man personally, having only recently transferred back in the city, he had heard enough rumors to know that the Agent was a possessive bastard and it didn't matter if this situation was something their Director had decided.

"We all could use a little coffee break, and maybe get some food while we're at it. Thirty minutes."

Tony nodded with a tight smile and walked to Gibbs' desk. Vivian tried her best to ignore him, but it was pretty distracting having those two just staring at each other silently.

"So. It's been a while," Tony finally spoke, but Gibbs remained silent. "Come on, Gibbs. Help me out a little. Coffee break? You sure look like you need some." Tony hid his grin. Gibbs still didn't say anything, but he stood up and walked to the elevator and Tony took it as a sign to follow.

Vivian looked up. "What about me?" She never got the answer.

Several minutes later, both men were sitting in a busy and small coffeehouse, close to the Navy Yard. Finally having his coffee, Gibbs had relaxed enough to talk like a normal person. "You doing okay? Ducky seen you yet?"

"I've been thoroughly examined by the good doctor. Already almost as good as new."

"You happy in that team?"

"It's alright." Tony kept his face impassive. To his surprise he had enjoyed his first day so far, but there was no way he could say that. Gibbs snorted and stared at the long scratch mark he had spotted on the young man's left hand. Tony noticed his stare and hid his hand under the small table. "It's just a scratch. Nothing serious. You know I've had much worse than that."

"What happened?" While it may have sounded like a simple question to some, Tony knew it was more of an order to tell the truth and of course he lied without blinking an eye, while looking Gibbs straight in the eyes, "A cat." There was no need to tell that their suspect had gotten a little too aggressive with her long sharp nails. Such a small incident, but he wasn't going to test his luck by letting his almost boss know how on his very first day he got hurt. Even if it really was just a scratch.

"A what?"

"Cat. Came out of nowhere. I guess it didn't like me very much."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but didn't say anything. Tony studied the man and frowned at what he saw; Gibbs had lost some weight since he last saw him and the skin under his eyes was dark. All in all the man looked stressed out and like he hadn't been sleeping that much lately.

"How's Shannon and Kelly?" Tony asked and the flinch he almost missed seeing told him that he had hit straight to the root of the problem.

"Fine," was the short answer.

"You've slept in the basement lately? Trouble in paradise?" Tony asked the questions with innocent look on his face and Gibbs stared at him. "It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with Kelly and her boyfriend?"

"Abby?" Gibbs asked wryly. He had a feeling he should just get used to this. Everyone else just assumed it was all because of the cases he'd been working on lately, which did play their part, but were not the root cause.

Tony grinned. "Shannon actually."

"You've talked to my wife?" Gibbs was surprised and more than a little irritated.

"She's talking and I'm listening. I've got to tell you, Gibbs... You better apologize and fix things soon. It's kind of awkward when another man's wife calls you to rant about their marriage and family life problems." Of course that wasn't all they talked about, but it was at least mentioned whenever they did talk.

Gibbs winced. He tried not to think about just how much Shannon had shared. Ever since finding out the truth about Tony, his wife had practically adopted the kid.

"Don't worry. She doesn't get into anything too intimate. Thank God for that." Gibbs' most intimate secrets were not something Tony cared to know about... "You really should talk more with her. The woman loves you. If I were you, I'd hold on tight."

With a snort, Gibbs raised his cup of coffee and took a long sip. Shannon was one thing, but it was surprising how easily the willingness to share came to him. It was usually very unnatural for him to do. Yet here he was, opening his mouth again. "It seems this is serious this time."

"Ah. You tried to scare him off like all the others, but instead he might be _the one_ and he refuses to back off, and now you've upset your girls. Not cool, Gibbs."

"Just wait when you're a father of a girl. Better hope for a son if you wish to be spared."

Tony stiffened and dropped his gaze to his coffee. "Never gonna happen. I'm not a parent material. Not the type to settle down either."

Gibbs studied the forced smile. Months ago he wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between those smiles, but he was slowly starting to get better at it. "You never know."

"Nope. Never," Tony almost snapped. He'd made the decision when he was just a kid, to never become a father; all thanks to his own parents showing him their idea of a 'parent's love'. Adding to that their genes, and he couldn't see any child of his ever being happy or not messed up.

Leaving the issue for another time, Gibbs smiled wryly. "Sure, the guy seems alright," he grudgingly admitted, "but he wants to move to _Africa_ in a few years."

Tony felt grateful that the subject was dropped, although he knew what Gibbs was doing. It both irritated him and made him grateful. "And you're afraid your little girl is going to go with him and you're never going to see her again. You know, there's this amazing new invention called airplanes."

Gibbs rolled his eyes and with a slight twinkle in his eyes he teased the young man, "I wouldn't mind it as much if she'd chosen you. Would at least keep her here. Could still happen. After all, you were her _first love_."

Tony made a face. "Don't even joke about it." While he may have nothing against the young woman, he didn't feel tempted by the idea of having Gibbs as his father-in-law. _Gibbs_. That was asking for trouble. He didn't have to see it himself to know that Gibbs was the kind of father who wouldn't make life easy for any of his little girl's boyfriends or even a husband. It kind of made Tony feel envious, to have a father care about you that much.

"What are you saying, Dinozzo? My daughter is not good enough for you?"

"What? I never said that. I'm just not trying to marry into your family. Isn't it more than enough having you around at work now?"

Gibbs chuckled. He hadn't been in such a good mood since... Well, since. "You're still coming to my place after work."

"Is that so?"

"Shannon's orders. Not mine. And you'll finally meet Kelly. She's still at home for a few more days before going back."

"Right... Well, if she's telling me to come, who am I to argue?"

"Attaboy. You're learning."


	4. Dinner Time

After a tiresome first day, Tony wasn't sure he was ready for the Gibbs family dinner time. Had it been just Gibbs inviting him, he would've wormed his way out of it somehow, but he didn't want to upset Shannon... So as he now picked up his things, he ignored the desire to sleep and followed Gibbs in the elevator. Neither man was in the mood to speak, having used up their need to talk during that coffee break.

Gibbs had finished earlier and even sent Vivian on her way, but had himself stalked around the bullpen, until team Valentine was done as well. He had wandered around the bullpen, drinking coffee and his ice-cold gaze never leaving certain work area for more than few seconds. He was like a shark circling around a boat. It had made everyone else in the bullpen nervous, having lived through the Agent's 'mood swings'. Tony simply tuned it out and did his work like the man wasn't there, which was a skill the other two in his team envied.

The first day had been interesting and not because of their case, which was solved rather quickly; Tony had realized with confusion that he was the center of much gossip and unwanted attention. Although not all of it was bad. As his ' _welcome to the NCIS_ ' gift, his desk had been covered with gifts during his break. Noticing most of them were from the women, Tony remembered to flash his famous smile and say ' _thank you, ladies_ ' with a loud voice, receiving smiles in return.

All the gifts had been basically some snacks and cards, which he had put away in his desk drawer. All but one, which had no card on it, but it didn't need one. It was almost a human sized stuffed silver-gray bear with ice blue eyes, wearing a Marine uniform. It was perfect all the way to the hair, which was cut Marine style, and the bear had a scowl on its face. It was hugging a smaller brown and green-eyed baby bear. Tony had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing. While he knew he would have trouble figuring out where to put that monster of a toy, he made sure to thank Abby personally, with a kiss on her forehead, but escaping before she caught him.

Ducky had smiled a secret smile when Tony wondered how she was allowed to even bring it anywhere near the Navy Yard and then complained how he had no place nor room for the bear, but because it was a gift from her, he couldn't give it away either. He was a grown man and had never played with toys that much even as a kid, so he had no idea what to do with it.

Gibbs finally spoke, when they were already getting in their cars. Tony in his current rental. Like his apartment, he had yet to find a new one. "You're not gonna get it in, DiNozzo," Gibbs pointed out as Tony opened the backseat door.

"Watch me," Tony muttered and several curses later, and with some help from Gibbs, the bear was in. He didn't want to think about how he was going to get it out...

"You sure you're not too tired?" Gibbs was starting to regret that he made the invitation more of a command than a request. It certainly had been a long first day. While normally it wouldn't feel that long, compared to the worst hours they could end up pulling off and what DiNozzo himself was used to, everything was still new and maybe too much for someone who had just been on sick leave for a couple of months.

"I'm fine." Tony almost added, ' _let's get it done with_ ', but he had a pretty good feeling it would not be a good idea. "You told me your wife has been waiting for this and I'm not one to turn down one of her meals." Tony smirked tiredly.

Gibbs studied him for a while and decided to at least make him sleep in the guest room later. "Alright then."

* * *

Gibbs had mentioned that they hadn't yet told Kelly about him, so Tony was a little nervous how this would go. He felt guilty because apparently she had thought a lot about him for a long time. He had never even thought that their very short meeting, during such a traumatic event, could have meant so much to these people. He defended himself with the fact that he had owed them nothing and still didn't. Sure, he liked Shannon and even Gibbs was kind of alright, but he had no reason to feel guilty. So why did he?

"Tony!" Shannon smiled when Tony and her husband entered the house. She was wearing an apron and after quickly wiping her hands on it, she hugged Tony.

Despite allowing it the first time, Tony had still not gotten used to her hugging him. At first the motherly feel had been almost comforting. Now it was just yet another reminder of what he never had. When still alive, his own mother would never get anywhere near the kitchen. She didn't smell like a mother either. Alcohol and the strong stench of it, that's what he associated her mother with to this day. She had never been one to show any kind of affection, unless she was heavily drunk and even then it wasn't a gentle kind of love. As a kid he'd never understood how wrong it was and he had even loved those moments. He still missed her. What kind of person did that make him? Tony knew what his 'father' thought of him, but he wondered about his mother. Had she loved him? He wanted to think that at least one parent hadn't completely hated his entire existence, but try as he did, he couldn't shake off the dark memories that were haunting him.

"Are you feeling cold, sweetie?" Shannon had noticed how the young man was shivering slightly and she stepped away to take a better look at him.

Smiling nervously, Tony shrugged. "Just a little. It'll pass."

"Nonsense. I'll go make you some hot chocolate."

"Mom?" another voice spoke, which Tony didn't recognize, but to be fair the young woman had changed a lot since he last saw her, when she was just a little girl.

Gibbs and Shannon shared a look, which didn't go unnoticed and Kelly raised her eyebrow and then narrowed her eyes. There was no doubt whose daughter she was... She glanced between them suspiciously for a while and Tony found it fascinating how the mighty Gibbs couldn't keep his eyes on her for a long time and the guilt was written all over his face.

"What's going on?" Kelly finally asked and then sighed with annoyance when her parents looked like they had lost their ability to speak. The two really hadn't thought about this situation properly. It had seemed simple at the time to just bring Tony here and tell her who he was. It turned out Tony had no reason to feel nervous how Kelly would react and the parents had no need to worry how to explain this to their daughter. She surprised them all.

Since her parents seemed pretty useless now, Kelly turned her attention on the young man, hoping he would give her some answers. She secretly hoped this wasn't her dad's attempt at trying to 'marry her off' to some guy he had chosen as his last and desperate act, just so she wouldn't decide to marry her boyfriend, the man who was going to move to Africa, far away from both of their families and to a place where they would be lucky if they had a working phone and running water. Studying the handsome young man who looked like someone who was hoping to be anywhere else, it only took her a few seconds before it clicked and Kelly looked at her parents in triumph. She had a smug look and she held her hands on her hips. "I knew it! I knew he's alive! I _told_ you so!"

Recovering first, Tony cleared his throat. "I'm sorry?"

Shaking her head at her parents, Kelly stepped forward and took his hands in hers. "You're Tony. I mean, sure, you're taller now, but you haven't changed that much."

His right eye twitched slightly, but Tony didn't say anything. Not what he thought about that implication anyway. Instead he forced one of his smiles on his face. "It's good to know not everyone thought I was dead then. You certainly have changed a lot."

Kelly frowned at the smile, which looked somehow wrong. She glanced at her parents, but Gibbs shrugged and Shannon smiled happily with tears in her eyes. Looking back at her childhood crush, Kelly decided to file this for later and much safer situation; the young man looked already about ready to flee and he kept rubbing his hands together, looking cold. More than anything else, he looked tired. Just what were her parents thinking? "Well, I must admit that this is a surprise. They told me we would have a guest, but I never thought... Come, I'll make you some hot chocolate. I have my own secret recipe. If you promise to keep your mouth shut, I'll share it with you. It includes marshmallows, but that's just one step..."

Gibbs and Shannon stared as their daughter took Tony's hand in hers and pulled him toward the kitchen, talking a mile a minute and as if she was talking to an old friend.

"I must say, Jethro, that our daughter keeps surprising us every day," Shannon said slowly. Again, she felt sad at the thought of how grown up their little girl really was. She no longer was that young child who was happy to share all her secrets with mom and dad. Now they were lucky to just get a phone call once a week, to let her parents know she was doing great, had a life of her own, without her parents in it. While not using those words, that's the kind of message the two of them got either way.

"She only saw him for what, a minute? And she's already sharing with him her and Maddie's secrets, which even I don't know," Gibbs grumbled, looking annoyed.

"Oh, Jethro..." Shannon chuckled. They listened to the chatter coming from the kitchen. Tony had barely spoken a word, but it seemed Kelly didn't mind.

"So what are you doing for a living?" Kelly asked and Tony was glad to talk about something else, other than their shared past and his youthful looks.

* * *

The dinner was nice and much to Tony's surprise he was actually enjoying it all. He was not talking much about himself, other than sharing the most basic things, but that seemed to be fine with the family who were all too happy to share their own life stories, even if he was mostly just sitting there listening and smiling like a fool; his smile frozen to his face. Tony knew he would never truly get over losing two loves of his life and in such a brutal way, but for the first time he truly felt glad the women were alive. Not that he'd been having any 'ill will' toward them, but for the first time he was truly happy this family had not been destroyed. Even Gibbs looked so much more relaxed around his girls. He was even joking with them, with a twinkle in his eyes, which you never saw at work.

"So how was your first day at work?" Shannon asked, somehow making the question sound more like ' _how was your first day at school?_ '.

Tony shrugged. "It was alright. A little different than being a Detective, but interesting. I'll know better after I've gotten used to the routine." Looking nonchalantly at Gibbs, he finally asked with a feigned curiosity what he'd wanted to ask for a while now, "So, your boss was Mike Franks. What was it like working with him? What kind of boss was he?"

Gibbs was confused for a moment, but then he smiled. "He's a good man. I learned much from him and I respect and owe him so much. After I started becoming too obsessed with trying to catch the bastard who... He reminded me that my family is still with me. That we still had one another. He also taught me many of my rules."

It was Kelly who noticed the dark look crossing Tony's face, when he thought no one was looking and he forced that unsettling smile on his face again. "Sounds like a wonderful guy, to care so much about family and rules."

Gibbs looked at him with a crooked smile and nodded. "I owe him so much," he repeated. It was then that Gibbs finally decided to be honest with his family and to tell the truth about his part of what had happened in the past. He felt like he owed the kid at least that much. "Shannon... While you two were in the hospital back then, I-" _  
_

Tony slammed his hand on the table, startling everyone and getting their attention. "Sorry. Didn't mean to startle. I missed the glass."

The girls relaxed, but Gibbs frowned at the intense look Tony gave him. Or rather, Tony glared at him for a good ten seconds, just _daring_ him to keep talking.

"So, Shannon. Is it true that your chicken casserole is famous?" Tony asked when Gibbs looked like he was about to open his mouth again.

* * *

Much later, as they had kept talking all the way into the night and Tony had once again become quiet, the others noticed how their guest kept nodding off.

Tony regretted staying up the night before this day, but he'd been far too nervous to get any sleep so he'd spent his entire last night watching movies and going for a run. Twice. It hadn't helped and the nervous energy got only worse as the day got closer. Now he was paying the price and he was too tired to even think about the car drive waiting for him. His only hope right now was for them to finally 'dismiss' him or stop talking for a while, so he could let them know he _really_ should be going now...

"I'll take him," Gibbs said quietly and there was no question where.

"Jethro. Your timeout is over," Shannon spoke, when Gibbs stood up. She had a small smile on her lips.

Kelly rolled her eyes. "Mom, please. I'm not a child. Don't think that I don't get the hidden meanings by now."

Gibbs smirked and as he helped Tony upstairs and in the guest room without much protesting, he felt calmer and happier now that almost everything seemed right. If only he could get Morrow to change his mind about them being partners... For the first time, Gibbs truly did regret his actions at work, not that he would admit it.

"Why did you do it? Why did you stop me?" he asked when he helped the sleepy man to bed.

Tony blinked his bleary eyes and yawned. "Don't need more drama... It's between me and you. Has nothing to do with them."

"Come on, DiNozzo. You really believe they would think that?"

"I's all in the past. Le'go..." Tony slurred.

"They can handle it. Sure, they'll beat my ass for it and I'll receive a fitting punishment, but I deserve it. You of all people know it..."

Tony sighed and with his willpower, forced himself to speak out the words without slurring. He had to focus hard. "Not gonna forget. Will maybe always, you know... feel nervous when you're holding a gun around me... or when you're drunk, but I trust you enough to warn me before shooting me. Just too tired to hold on to the hate toward you anymore... Too many other issues already... Just let me have it this way. It's between me and you. Let it be that way."

With a sigh, Gibbs couldn't help but think he didn't deserve it. "Goodnight, Tony."

"G'night, Gibbs..." Tony mumbled his reply, already asleep.


	5. Not So Subtle

The following week seemed to go by in a flash. While Tony became used to being an Agent, Gibbs was unnaturally quiet. One would think it helped everyone around him to relax, but instead it had them on edge. His jaw had to hurt by now, the way he kept clenching his teeth together whenever he so much as heard anyone mention ' _that new Agent_ '. In his mind, Tony was and would be his Agent. _He_ found him, not NCIS or this Val guy. For appearance's sake Gibbs did try to 'behave', he really did, but you can't put a leash on a old wild dog and expect it to take the treatment like a good boy. There was no way he would be able to take this for an entire year...

"You got anything yet?" Gibbs used neutral tone, but Vivian flinched as if he had yelled at her.

"Uh... No..." Vivian averted her eyes from her boss. It felt like ever since Gibbs had stopped his usual growling, the scary look in his eyes was much more terrifying. "I'll... Uh... I'll work harder. Boss."

Throwing a frustrated glare at her, Gibbs stood up. Grabbing the case files from his desk, he walked away, leaving Vivian stare after him and wondering if she should follow. She was no mind reader, but her boss was one of those people who required it.

Team Valentine was looking so relaxed and happy, which was yet one more thing to piss him off with. Without saying anything, Gibbs walked straight to where Tony sat and dropped the files on the desk, narrowly missing the coffee mug.

Tony stopped eating and he looked up and then down at the files on his desk. Then he looked at the older man again. "Gibbs?"

Gibbs stared silently. The man had gone from growling to sulking and Tony felt kind of sorry for him. While it was good that Gibbs was trying to behave, even if for the appearances sake only, this wasn't good either. Not for anyone. It was like watching and waiting for a volcano to erupt as the pressure inside kept growing and almost anyone around him could feel it. This calm and almost mute Gibbs was disturbing, even if it was much calmer to work in the bullpen now. At least from what Tony had heard, since he himself hadn't been there to see the worst of it. Something had to be done, sooner rather than later...

"You want me to look at the case, to see if I spot something?" Tony asked, having already seen the way team Gibbs was struggling and since the new Agent would only arrive later next week, the two were on their own. Struggling between the difficult case, clashing personalities and whatever else there was that didn't work between them as a team.

Gibbs nodded his answer and Tony bit back a smile before focusing on the files, under the curious and wary glances of his teammates. It didn't take long to flip through the papers, scan them over and spot few things. Writing them down on post-it notes, he attached the notes on the papers. "Do they have a child?"

"No..." Gibbs frowned and then looked at Tony curiously.

"One would think so with a shopping list like that. Not very subtle if you know what to look for."

Gibbs nodded and taking the file, he walked away.

"You're welcome!" Tony shook his head and went back to enjoying the last of his break.

Nathan looked baffled. "Why does he come to you and not looking like he wants to bite your head off? Why don't _you_ look like he could bite your head off?"

Tony glanced at their quiet boss. " _You_ tell him."

Valentine cleared his throat. "DiNozzo is only for loan in our team and Agent Gibbs is looking for an opportunity to get back what was supposed to be his. If I were you, I wouldn't turn my back on the bastard."

Tony laughed. "You actually made a joke. Maybe you're not such a hopeless case after all, Val."

"I told you that's not my name."

Nathan's mind was still playing around the ' _only for loan_ ' part. "What? But..." Nathan frowned, looking awfully upset at the thought. When it looked like Tony wasn't going to do it, Valentine sighed and started explaining the 'deal' to Nathan who looked anything but pleased by what he was being told.

Meanwhile, Gibbs had given to Vivian the task of digging out more information about their victims. Tuning out her low grumbling, he stared at the papers in front of him without really seeing them. If this didn't prove it, then he didn't know what would; he wanted _—_ needed—DiNozzo. Blackadder didn't impress him as usual and he didn't have any high hopes for the new guy either. He either wanted to work alone _his way_ or have a partner who would complete him and this team.

"He was right." Vivian sounded unhappy and Gibbs looked at her with a scowl. Oh yes, he _would_ find a way...

"Was he?"

"You knew he would be. You only made me do this so you could shove it in my face just how much better DiNozzo is than me." Vivian averted her eyes when Gibbs narrowed his eyes at her. "I'll call them back and tell we have some more questions..." she mumbled and picked up her phone.

Gibbs stood up. He needed coffee or things would turn ugly. "You do that and if they get here before I'm back, you wait for me before you do _anything_. If I find out you even moved your finger without my permission..."

Vivian rolled her eyes once her boss was gone. He always treated her like some probie who knew no better and it infuriated her. Each and every day she wondered why she bothered staying when any sane person would've and had already left. But to avenge the death of her brother, she needed the NCIS. So once again she forced herself to take a few calming breaths before calling their victims who were now possible suspects.

* * *

As Tony returned to the Navy Yard later that evening, he was exhausted, but happy. Fieldwork beat working behind the desk any day, which was one of the many reasons why he could have never been the kind of son his father wanted. While he could have had it in him what was needed to run a big business corporation with the big money involved, he never had the desire for that life even as a kid. He'd never wanted to waste his youth sitting in some big leather chair, making sure even more money kept coming in his pockets and then leaving his family without his love and care, choosing to spend his time either at work or in a strange woman's bed. God, was he a bad person for hating Senior?

"You alright, Tony?" Nathan asked, when Tony stood there in front of his desk with a dark look in his eyes that sent shivers down the older man's spine.

Tony smiled easily. "Yeah. I was just thinking about something."

Nathan nodded knowingly. "The case, right? It can get pretty bad, the things we see in our world. I hate to say it, but you'll get used to it."

It was close that Tony mentioned he'd seen as a cop things far worse than their case and had been used to it for some time now. When he finally sat down, he noticed the still steaming hot mug of coffee on his desk and his dark thoughts were forgotten for a moment.

"Where did that come from?" Nathan wondered, feeling a little disappointed that there wasn't one on his desk also. He really could use one now... Their boss simply shook his head, having seen a certain silver-haired man walking away from the desk just a moment before they stepped in the bullpen.

Tony glanced from the corner of his eye toward Gibbs' working area. He knew the man had already closed his own case so it was kind of nice that he would stay behind just to deliver the coffee while it was still hot. "Just a little thank you from a big old— Ow!" Tony rubbed the back of his head and glanced up with a sly smirk. Gibbs stood there with his eyebrows raised. "My apologies. I meant well-preserved."

Both Nathan and Valentine stared with wide eyes. Nathan even took a step toward Gibbs, to hit the man back, with a fist. He didn't see anything funny about the head slap, but a man who had assaulted his teammate.

The mirth gone, Tony's stood up quickly and took hold of his partner's shoulder, ending any major confrontation before it could begin. "It's cool, man."

"How can you say that? That bastard just—"

"Nate. It's cool. _I'm_ cool with it." Tony had a dead serious look on his face. He couldn't exactly tell them that he'd had much worse than a little slap at his head.

Nathan looked upset and with a sharp turn he walked away; his whole posture was screaming at them how mad he was. Tony felt uncertain, whether he should follow after the man or stay where he was.

"He'll be okay," Valentine said calmly.

"But..."

"It's just who he is. He'll be back to his smiling self by tomorrow. Trust me. As long as everything really is alright..." Valentine actually dared to glare at Gibbs. Once. But he was no challenge to the old bastard who won with a single glance at him. "I don't want to see you _borrowing_ him again, Agent Gibbs. What happened today, better not happen again or I will have to talk to the Director." It would have sounded much more convincing had Valentine been able to face the infamous Gibbs glare.

Before things could turn ugly, Tony took his coffee and walked away. "I'll see you in the morning, Val."

"Not too early. Get some sleep." Valentine was relieved when Gibbs turned around and followed Tony. He could finally understand all the talk about Agent Gibbs... At least some of it. Valentine worried what spending time around a man like that could do to the young Agent. He owed it to his former partner that he at least tried to look after the man's brother. Although there had been bad blood between him and his SFA back then, Valentine regretted his young arrogance from those days and he remembered all too well how much his partner had cared about his brother; from the photos on his desk to the way the man's voice would soften whenever he mentioned Tony.

"I'm trying, but your brother doesn't make it easy... He really should choose his company better, but I suppose he wouldn't be your brother if he took the easy way..." Valentine muttered to himself. He certainly didn't have what it took to take down someone like that former Marine, would it ever be needed.

Noticing that he was now alone, Valentine took out few files from his bottom drawer. Perhaps it was time to finish this and let DiNozzo do the rest. It was everything he had gathered from that tragic day all those years ago, including what part his former boss had in it. Embarrassing for an Agent like Mike Franks, but by no means could anything less shameful justify his actions either.

* * *

The two agents had decided to get something to eat and since apparently Gibbs couldn't live without his coffee, they were now both eating some pizza and drinking coffee. Or rather, Tony was eating most of it and Gibbs was drinking his coffee. He frowned when the younger man looked and acted as if he hadn't seen food in days.

"You found a place yet?" Gibbs asked. According to Abby, the young man wasn't too picky about the apartment he would rent, as long as his new big TV would fit in the living room and the place had a nice bathroom with a big bathtub. They all had offered Tony their guest rooms until the perfect apartment was found, but he turned down all the offers, saying he really needed his own space after work and everyone understood that; they really did, even if they didn't like it. Gibbs was annoyed that even his guest room wasn't accepted. Especially when Shannon kept nagging to him about it, as if it was _his_ fault the kid didn't want their help.

"Mmhm..." Tony nodded, with his mouth full of pizza. "It's alright."

"Alright?"

"Good enough for me." Tony shrugged and Gibbs swore to find out the address and see whether it was 'good enough' or not... "Don't give me that look, Gibbs. I already have both Abby _and_ Ducky at my neck for it. One I could take, but _both_ of them? She's making me a list of potentially fatal accidents or crimes that could happen to me. He's making me a list of health issues I could end up with while living there."

"Good."

"You're being a bastard again. I'm kind of relieved. Meek and quiet is just wrong... Okay, maybe meek is a bit too strong word, but you know what I mean. Not yelling at your Agent even when she messes up with the chain of evidence is not you. I would've had a hard time not strangling her then and there, for almost giving a dangerous criminal a loophole out of prison. You're not dying or anything, are you?"

"You _know_ why I'm this way, DiNozzo. Don't tell me you don't know," Gibbs growled.

"I just meant that you don't have to completely stop being you. Moderating where and how much you unleash _the you_ should be enough; you don't have to turn it off completely. It affects the people around you almost as much as if you were screaming all the time."

Gibbs hid his crooked smile and Tony narrowed his eyes, shaking his head. "And that's not a permission to turn back into the mad bear either. Save that for the criminals that need to feel scared. I've heard more than enough from the others to know you really lost your marbles for a while there... You need to work on your people skills and definitely work on your marriage before your lovely wife does more than send you in the basement. And I'm sure Kelly's boyfriend isn't that bad. I bet even your gut agrees with you, so start by apologizing to her while you still can. Trust me; once she's had enough, she's had enough, and then things will be a whole lot more complicated between you two... But if the guy does hurt her, I will hold him down for you."

Gibbs didn't say anything, but strangely he didn't even need to say anything for Tony to know he got the message. After that, the men finished their pizza and coffee in silence and then stood up.

Tony had asked Gibbs to come with him before they left the Navy Yard, claiming it was a matter of life and death, but the older man still had no idea what it could be. However, when they only a moment later stepped inside the big room that had a ' _closed_ ' sign at the door, Gibbs finally understood and he raised his eyebrows.

"DiNozzo..."

"Come on, Gibbs. You know you need it. I know you do. Don't say you don't," Tony said and seeing how Gibbs still hesitated, he said the words he just knew would do the trick, "Unless you're getting too old and don't think you can take me down. What you say, old man?"

There was a dangerous glint in Gibbs' eyes and Tony knew that while he would give a good challenge, he _would_ be getting his ass kicked by a Marine who had plenty of pent-up anger and frustration in him. Tony cringed inwardly, but he put a bright smile on his face and started leading the man toward the locker room where he knew the owner of the place had left them something to wear in the boxing ring. For a moment he wondered if he should have asked someone to come with them as a witness in case there would be bodies...


	6. The Railway Guy

It turned out that Valentine was right; the next morning Nathan was acting like nothing had happened, although Tony noticed Nathan moving closer to him whenever Gibbs even looked at the former Detective. He wasn't sure how to feel about that. Gibbs hadn't really even done anything to him that his partners would know about. Or perhaps his nothing was everything to them...

Both Tony and Gibbs had come to work covered in bruises and both with a matching black eye. While Tony's partners gasped in audible shock and Vivian gleefully misunderstood the situation, their 'little' sparring moment in the boxing ring had done wonders and now Gibbs was like a changed man. Sure, he was still Gibbs, but he no longer looked like someone who was ready to commit murder if you didn't watch your back. Meanwhile the scuttlebutt—which had started when Gibbs got his nose broken by Tony a couple of months ago—became alive once more.

As much as his body and mind were protesting, Tony made it then and there his mission to take Gibbs at least once a week to 'fight off' some of the steam from his system. Hopefully Shannon wouldn't be too upset with them for doing things their way. He did like the motherly woman and didn't want to make her unhappy for giving her husband a black eye and bruises now and then.

Happiest of them all was Tom Morrow who walked in the bullpen later that morning. While at first he was shocked to see the state his two agents were in and the almost identical black eyes, but when he saw the self-satisfied look on DiNozzo's face and the almost serene air Gibbs had around him, he decided to drop it after ordering both of them to go see Ducky to make sure there was nothing more serious than the bruises. Both men promised to do so without blinking their good eye, but only went down there when the Director called Ducky who sent Abby to fetch them for him.

It indeed looked like things were starting to settle in. Even if Gibbs did later that day walk to team Valentine again to get Tony's opinion on his new case.

* * *

Few days later team Valentine was called in to a certain small town, where Tony had hoped to never set his foot again. And while Tony had been able to slowly—very slowly—get used to sitting in a passenger's seat, he still preferred driving the car himself whenever he could. Especially if the drive to the crime scene and back was a long one since it helped him keep his mind much sharper.

The problems started almost as soon as they stepped out of their cars and the men in town saw them. "Hey, railway guy! Didn't think we'd see you here again!"

Tony had a sour look on his face, but when he turned around, there was a polite smile and no trace of the sourness. "I'm afraid that work called me here again."

"You a fed now? Didn't see that one coming." One of the guys laughed.

"That makes two of us. I have to go now. Work calls."

"I'm sure it does, Detective; I mean, _Agent_. Just try to stay away from the railway this time, will ya?" The men started laughing again and Tony had to force the polite smile to remain on his face and keep walking instead of running away, and hoping that no one could see his embarrassment.

"Railway guy?" Nathan questioned once the men couldn't hear them.

"It's nothing. Just some old case from a while ago," Tony muttered, praying that no one else would remember him. But of course in such a small town as this one was, you couldn't even sneeze without the whole town knowing about it and remembering it all the way to their fourth generation. So by the time they made it to the small house, which was thankfully just outside the town, Tony had been called ' _railway guy_ ' three times and ' _railway_ ' twice. Someone had even called him ' _damsel in distress_ ', remembering the way he'd been carried bridal style by his mountain man lookalike savior, after his concussion got the better of him. Although, there was a clear difference between a blushing bride and a limp rag doll. He was secretly glad that their crime scene was far away from the railway...

Taking pictures of the crime scene later, Tony frowned as he noticed the familiar looking wound in their dead Marine. "That's strange..."

"You got something?" Nathan was bagging and tagging the evidence and he looked up after sealing the last one. Valentine was asking questions from the owner of the old and ancient looking mines they were standing next to.

"I've seen this kind of wound before. In fact, it was the last time I was here for another case."

Nathan was now the one to frown as he came closer to look at the body and the wound. "You know the guy?"

"I know the girl. Like most people in here, she's an excellent hunter, but it's her shotgun that leaves this kind of mess. The feds took her father, after my partner and I located the man. He killed illegals for trespassing his property and raping and almost murdering his daughter, so I can't blame him and I hated handing him over to them. It turned out he had some illegal activities under his own name and they wanted him. I think he was put away for life, thanks to killing those illegals. No justice in that, not for him and not for his daughter, which sends the message that the common people have no rights. I've always felt like I failed them... If anything, the system created a criminal by marking him as such and looking out for the strangers rather than their own."

And of course before they even got the man, _he_ got Tony first, thinking that by getting the youngest of the two detectives, he would buy himself more time. After being knocked out, when Tony woke up again it was to stare at the blue sky above him, feeling very uncomfortable tied up to the railway. Had it not been some homeless man passing by, Tony DiNozzo would have died on that day. Thankfully the train had been late or he wouldn't have even woken up in time to know his end had come. He had the worst luck, but also the best guardian angels, which he had made sure to thank for, repeatedly. Run over by a train was not on his list of best ways to die.

"I don't see how— Wait... Should you even be here then? Since you went after her father... I'm pretty sure that's screaming for trouble."

"I looked it up before; she left the town soon after we did, my partner and I. So either she's back or someone else has the weapon."

They looked up when Valentine walked toward them, looking a little red in the face. "Seems like everyone thinks it's funny to lie to us."

Tony winced. He knew all too well from his own experience what kind of twisted humor the people in this town shared. His near death experience being a big example of how their minds worked. "Who lied?"

"The man who called us. Turns out he not only was the first at the crime scene, he was also seen arguing with our victim yesterday _and_ he moved the body. I called the Sheriff. He's giving us a place to interrogate him and he's already got the man there waiting for us. DiNozzo, I'll leave it to you. I want to leave this God-forsaken town as soon as we can. I believe that Howard's glare should do the trick."

Tony smiled. "Really? I'm sure you remember what kind of effect it has on some people."

The older man laughed heartily. He could hardly believe he was remembering those days with fondness and even enjoying DiNozzo's company, who was in so many ways like Howard. Brothers indeed. "Don't hold back."

"You got it, boss," Tony cheered and started jogging away from the crime scene. It was always fun when he was given permission to 'play dirty'.

Nathan looked between his retreating partner and then his boss. "What on earth is Howard's glare?"

"Something you don't want to see being directed at you. Although, I'm sure he has worked on it to make it his own since the last time I saw it."

"Is it like the infamous Gibbs glare everyone talks about?"

Valentine was quiet for some time, comparing the two in his mind. "Something like that..."

Meanwhile, Tony stopped his jogging once he saw the Sheriff waiting for him. "Is he inside?"

The old man nodded. His eyes narrowed as he gave the kid a once-over. He had been out of town the last time Tony had been there as a Detective and the stories he had heard were not flattering. Normally he wasn't one to listen to gossip, but who on earth got tied to a railway in this day and age?

Ignoring the sharp eyes on him, Tony squared his shoulders and walked inside the building. The man in there smiled when he saw the young Agent. A moment later that smile was gone and when Tony walked outside, Sheriff glanced inside and saw the now white as a sheet man still sitting on the chair.

"Hey! What did you do to him?"

"He's useless for our case. As long as he stays in town while the case is still open, he can go."

"What did you do to him?"

Tony looked like he was actually contemplating over his answer. "You ever looked a snake straight in the eyes or looked a cold-blooded killer, with no remorse or humanity, in the eyes?"

The Sheriff didn't get a chance to answer as the Agent walked away, leaving the man behind to scratch his bald head, muttering silent curses about feds and big city people who watched too many movies.

While Tony walked away, he added quietly in his mind, _or seen the way my father used to look at me_. He had been 'trained' by the very best, his father being the worst of them. When using that look of a killer, he was putting on yet another mask and persona, but he never enjoyed the aftertaste of it. He didn't want to dwell on that thought for too long, so he pushed it away.

Walking back toward the crime scene, he felt his gut begin to churn and he glanced around worriedly, but he saw nothing out of ordinary so he kept walking.

"Everything alright?" Nathan asked when his partner returned to them with a deep frown on his face.

"Just a feeling I'm having and it's a feeling I don't like."

"So how did it go?" Valentine asked. The body and the evidence had been taken from the crime scene and they now only had to find the killer.

"It was a waste of time. Cracked in less than a minute and it turns out he has an alibi."

"Really?" Valentine sounded disappointed.

"Sheriff's wife. One phone call and she confirmed it. I'd be prepared to find another body soon, but hopefully we'll be gone by then. Not our case." Tony chuckled humorlessly. This cursed town. He hated it with passion.

"Well, who knew... Even the old people aren't living in sinless perfection. I guess we're all human." Nathan was amused.

"Say that to the Sheriff." Tony snorted and his partner made a face at that. He'd be stupid to give the man a reason to shoot him.

Valentine had listened in quiet amusement his two agents talking, thinking once again with fondness and regret back to his days as the probie and the better days between him and his partners, between him and Howard. When he saw the sun hit the weapon in the bushes, he didn't hesitate to shout out the warning to his agents. "Get down!" Not a moment too soon since that's when the first shot was fired at them. While the two younger and much more fit agents moved fast, their boss was less agile, which was what sealed his fate. To always keep himself fit was one of the lessons he had failed to learn. If not for himself then for his partners and for his family.

"Val!"

"Valentine!"

When Tony shot toward the shooter, he barely saw the ponytail before she was gone and they had things much more urgent to worry about than to run after her.

"Tony!" Nathan's voice broke through his anger and Tony crawled closer to their boss who was now lying in the sand, his blood painting it dark red.

"It's too much..." Tony muttered and cursed as he tried to stop the bleeding. "911! Nathan! Call!" He trusted Nathan to know what to do, so he didn't even look up to see if he did it, which he did, taking out his phone and walking a few steps away from them.

"Come on now, Elian," Tony spoke quietly. "Don't do this to me... I've had enough of people dying on me. Especially while saving my sorry ass. She was aiming at _my_ head."

"DiNozzo..." Valentine coughed and some blood came out of his mouth. It alarmed Tony. How often had he been in this situation and how many of those situations had ended with a body? Too many.

"You still owe me that fifty you borrowed and you promised to tell me more about Mike Franks. I've been too patient for you to kick the bucket before you even fulfill that promise." Tony was blatantly ignoring how the blood just kept pouring out and generously coating his hands as he tried to stop it.

Valentine smiled a small amused smile. "Think... Howard would've... forgiven me..?"

"We're both idiots like that, as long as it's about us and not someone we care about. He would've forgiven, I know that much... Come on, Elian. You've got a family. Don't make me bring your body to them..."

Hearing that he was forgiven was more than enough for Valentine and he smiled and relaxed, the worry disappearing from his face. "Bottom drawer... Not... Not finished, but..."

"But?"

Valentine tried to say more, but while trying to get another word out, he lost his battle trying to stay conscious. Tony cursed and looked up when he heard his partner coming back.

"There was a small accident on the road not far from here. We were lucky. They will be here—" Nathan stopped talking as he finally looked at his boss again. "...soon. Is he..?"

Tony shook his head. "No. But I don't know how long he can keep fighting. Tell them to hurry. Nathan!"

Nathan knew he should've been able to do something more. Now he could just watch helplessly as his younger partner kept trying to stop the bleeding, even if it seemed like it was a futile attempt, but he didn't have a heart to tell him to stop. So he just slumped on the other side of the body, staring quietly. Hearing the voice speaking from the phone, he was snapped out of his reverie for a moment.

_"...sir? Are you still there? Sir?"_

"Sorry... Yeah... I'm still here... Please hurry..." Of all towns to be shot at, it had to be the one without a hospital anywhere near to it.

Minutes passed by and when the ambulance finally arrived, Tony stood up to get out of the way. His hands were covered in Valentine's blood all the way to his elbows and some other parts of his shirt. Nathan winced at the sight. "Tony..."

"I'll get the bitch. You go with Val. Call Ducky; he'll be able to tell us more if the doctors decide to play hard to get. I swear I'll catch her, dead or alive. If I'm lucky, she'll give me a reason to shoot her. I _hope_ she'll try to kill me again. I swear, Nate. I'll get her."

Nathan hesitated and then sighed, knowing he couldn't win this one. "Be careful and don't go on your own." There was a furious look in his partner's eyes and for the first time Nathan realized that there were far more similarities between Tony and Agent Gibbs than he realized. Tony would _not_ be careful or even ask the Sheriff or anyone else to help him out. "Be careful," he repeated, but Tony just turned around and left the scene without looking back, leaving Nathan feeling like he'd just aged ten years.


	7. Breaking A Few Rules Can't Hurt

Nathan rushed inside the hospital; he barely even remembered to lock the car doors. He'd followed the ambulance and now he had to find out where they took his boss, all the while trying to keep himself together. He'd never lost a partner in this job before and the way Valentine had looked, it put him in a shock-like state. He'd never before noticed what kind of mess a shotgun could leave behind on a human body, until now.

When he saw the grim looking man leaving one of the rooms, Nathan forgot his hurry for a moment. "Doctor Mallard. What are you doing here? I was just going to call you."

"Ah. Nathan. I am doing some damage control... But what are you doing here, young man? Did something happen after I left?"

Had the situation been less serious, Nathan would've found it amusing to be called young man. He hadn't felt like a young man in years. "Our boss was shot. It doesn't look good..."

"Oh my... I am so sorry to hear that. Where is Anthony?"

"Anthony? Oh, right. Tony. He's..." Nathan furrowed his brows. It was like there was a black spot in his memory and he didn't even remember driving here. He knew he had done it, but he didn't remember doing it.

"Nathan?" Had Nathan known the old man better, he would've known that the usually friendly doctor had entered his 'danger mode'. Rare thing to happen, but it did happen.

"I think he... Well, I'm not sure, but I think he's still at the crime scene." Nathan cursed softly and he had a flash of memory from the time he had last seen his younger partner.

"Agent Hindall. Is Anthony out there alone without any backup?"

The reality of the situation was finally starting to settle in and Nathan cursed again. "My mind was so full of our boss dying that I didn't even... I should've never let him..." He was struggling with his duty of being out there and watching his partner's back, when he also couldn't leave his possibly dying or already dead boss.

Ducky on the other hand was contemplating between informing Gibbs or letting Nathan know what would happen to him if Tony didn't come back in one piece and alive. Thankfully he didn't have to make that choice. It was made for him.

"Duck. What's going on?"

The men turned around to see Gibbs making his way toward them with a frown. His gut had started working from the moment he saw Tony's _temporary_ partner.

"Jethro! You promised to behave."

Gibbs shrugged, but regretted it when the movement stabbed him with a sharp pain. Holding his injured arm, which was luckily in a sling, he took a few deep breaths before he spoke again, "I behaved. They finished sewing me up and handed me the prescription so I'm good to go. What's going on?"

Ducky tutted. "You and Anthony are far too similar in some aspects, Jethro. You two are driving me to an early grave."

"Ducky! _What's going on_?"

Unaware he was putting his life at risk, Nathan spoke, "Valentine was shot and Tony stayed behind. It looks bad; there's no way to know yet if he will make it..."

"What!?"

"Jethro!" Ducky hissed. They received a few disapproving glances at the raised voices, but Gibbs being Gibbs, he didn't pay to it any attention.

Nathan made up his mind and turned to look at Ducky. "Doctor Mallard, would you mind finding out where they took him? I need to make a phone call to his wife before I can go back. I need to make sure Tony isn't doing anything stupid without a backup..."

"I—"

Gibbs moved faster than Ducky could give his answer. Before Nathan knew what hit him, he was punched in the face. He was lucky Gibbs' good hand was out of job for now or the damage would've been much worse.

* * *

Like a predator, Tony walked toward the old building, ignoring the ringing phone in his pocket. In his one hand he had his good friend the SIG-Sauer and with the other he was holding the shotgun he had 'borrowed' from the Sheriff. If there was one thing in this town he'd learned from the last time, it was to be prepared for things you couldn't foresee. And that everyone from the elderly to the kids could shoot and do it well.

Almost kicking the front door open, he decided to first try if it was open, which it was. Inside he was met with dust and musty odor; when he moved, the dust glittered against the evening sunlight coming from the windows. No one had been in the house for a while, but it didn't mean he couldn't find anything useful. Glancing around the room, Tony could still remember clearly the last time he had been here with his partner. Back then his eyes had caught the photographs over the fireplace and so they did now, especially the picture of the whole family that was now missing. The people in it were standing in front of a small building in the forest, which was also one of the places where they looked for the father back then.

With one last and quick glance around the house, Tony left and went toward the thick forest. The phone was finally quiet.

It didn't take much effort this time to find the small forest hut and just when he was starting to doubt his gut feeling and whether it really could be this easy, he saw the small flickering light coming from the windows. He didn't waste any time and kicking the door open, he pointed both of the weapons at the screaming woman.

"Don't shoot!"

"Just like you didn't shoot my boss?"

"I didn't mean to shoot _him_!"

"Oh, well that makes it all _so_ much better. Where is it?"

"W-where's what?"

"The shotgun you used!"

"I... It's..." She pointed at the small dining table in the corner of the small kitchen.

Taking out something from his pocket, Tony threw it on the floor. "Bag and tag," he ordered automatically.

"What?" Confused, she stared at the plastic bag, which was also something he had 'borrowed' from someone.

"Put it in there. You try anything, I won't guarantee both of us will walk out of here alive."

By letting her go to her weapon, it felt almost like a dare to shoot him, but she had a strong feeling he would be glad to use that excuse. She'd heard stories of cops gone vengeful when one of their own had been killed and she didn't want to test it. Without letting her eyes leave the armed man standing at the door, she slowly did what he told her to do.

His phone started ringing again and after ordering her to not try anything and never leaving his eyes from her, Tony answered it. It was Nathan, whose voice sounded strange, almost like he was pinching at his nose.

_"Tony..! Thank God! I was seriously starting to worry when you wouldn't pick up."_

"How is he?"

_"It still looks bad, but the doctors think he's going to make it, if nothing goes wrong. Also, there's something else. It's about Agent Gibbs—"_

With a deep and calm sigh, Tony ended the call while Nathan was still talking. "It's your lucky day. He'll live."

She relaxed, feeling the immediate death threat leaving her, but then he ordered her outside and the fear was back. Especially when she couldn't see it, but knew he would be walking behind her. She wouldn't even have time to react if he decided to kill her.

With both shotguns in his one hand and his own gun in the other, he started walking them toward the town, ignoring the ringing phone in his pocket.

* * *

At least one good thing came out of this; no one in that God-forsaken town was laughing at him anymore. It seemed that when a guy carrying a gun was starting to act trigger friendly, it did the trick. After one last battle over who got to 'keep' the suspect, Tony made a quick phone call to his Director and gave the phone to the red-faced Sheriff who was one step away from practicing their own law on him. And now he was finally on his way back home. The woman was sitting next to him, cuffed and silently staring outside.

"You know, if anyone has the right to shoot anyone in that town, it's me. Back then my partner and I did all we could to help your father. Even after he almost killed me. As the father is, so is the daughter... It's a shame really."

She didn't say anything, but only because of the car that was driving past them and then it suddenly stopped and almost drove off the road.

"What in the... Gibbs?" Tony stopped his car and got out, but then he just stood there, staring, as it indeed was Gibbs who got out of the other car, but he came out from the passenger's side and he wasn't alone. And why was his arm in a sling?

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs barked, before he and the other man even made it to Tony's car.

"What are you doing here, Gibbs?" Tony asked wearily and glanced inside the car where the woman was, with no way to escape without some help.

"What do you think?" Gibbs answered with a much softer tone this time, when he noticed the dried blood all over Tony's shirt. His heart skipped a beat and he started to guess and see which wound _or wounds_ had caused that. Not once did he think the blood could be Valentine's.

Tony ignored the question and turned his attention to the man standing next to Gibbs. "Who's this?"

The man held out his hand with a friendly smile. "Stan. Stan Burley. I'm Agent Gibbs' new SFA. I started today. It's nice to finally meet you, Agent DiNozzo. I've heard so much about you."

"Tony." Tony took the offered hand. For a reason he didn't understand, he didn't like this man...


	8. Mistakes

"What happened?"

Tony snapped out of his thoughts and he saw Gibbs looking at him concerned. He'd forgotten he was still covered in blood, or his shirt was. He hated how many nice clothes he had ruined doing this work. Maybe he should start shopping for new ones from wherever Gibbs got his. Well, maybe he wouldn't go _that_ far. "No. It's... It's his."

"His?"

"Val's. I was trying to stop the bleeding, not that it helped much."

Gibbs didn't know what to say. He didn't care about Valentine on a personal level, but seeing how this was affecting DiNozzo, it awakened different kind of feelings. The kind where he wanted to act like a normal caring human being. But he was Gibbs and he was not going to do that, and from the way the young man held himself, it wouldn't be welcomed either. Especially not when Stan was standing close to them, keeping an eye on the suspect while Gibbs had pulled Tony away, to make sure he wasn't injured.

"And you, what happened to _you_?" Tony asked, pointing at the arm in a sling.

"Work happened."

"Ducky giving you a hard time?"

Gibbs grumbled and Tony chuckled, feeling relief knowing that if Gibbs was more seriously hurt than what he let people see, at least he had Ducky at work giving him a hard time and Shannon at home, most likely knowing him better than anyone else did. "How did it happen?"

Gibbs muttered something, but didn't answer the question. Instead it was evading, "Get back in the car and back to the Navy Yard, before the other one comes looking for you."

"The other one?" As good as Tony was at it, there were times when he was still trying to get used to the 'Gibbs talk'. "Oh, you mean Nate?"

"Nate?"

"Nathan Hindall. That other Agent in my team."

Gibbs grumbled again. "He'll be in big trouble for leaving you out there without any backup. I'll make sure of that."

"I had backup." Tony had no trouble keeping a straight face when he lied. Even if the other person was Gibbs.

"Really?"

"There was the Sheriff. You can call him if you want to." Of course, the only working phone in that cursed town was hardly ever picked up, if ever. Usually those in town did the calling since outsiders weren't popular in there. Or then maybe it was just him. There was no love shared between him and them.

Gibbs didn't believe him, but since Tony had already made up his mind, what could he do? Other than what he'd done so far, which was punching people in the face. But even he knew that in the long run it would only come back to them when they least expected it. "We'll talk later."

"Whatever you say, Gibbs."

Gibbs turned around to look at Stan, startling the man with his harsh tone of voice. "We're leaving!" Before leaving however, Gibbs held out a clean shirt for Tony to wear. Eyeing it suspiciously for a while, Tony took it carefully, happily unaware it was a shirt Gibbs had 'borrowed' from his new Agent.

After that Tony just stood there for a while, watching after Gibbs and Stan as they left first. No, he really didn't like Stan, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out why.

* * *

After calling Nathan who was still at the hospital waiting for more news, Tony was the only one of his team to still be at work. The Director came to him once, telling him that it was okay to leave the paperwork for tomorrow, but he had wanted to finish up this case tight and unforgiving, making sure there were no mistakes in anything; no typos in the paperwork.

The original case had turned out to be a simple and easy to solve. As for the woman... It was her luck that Valentine hadn't died. Not yet anyway... Knowing how much anger there still was bubbling under the surface, Tony had wisely asked for Chris Pacci and his team's help with the interrogation, while he himself watched it from behind the window. Not that he couldn't have handled it himself just fine, but he had wanted to play it safe. For a ladies man such as himself, there had been no pity for the tearful woman sitting in that small room, and boy could she cry. She had made the choice and now she had to live with it.

Signing off the last file, Tony stretched his stiff limbs before adding it on Valentine's growing pile of files on the man's desk. From the corner of his eye he saw team Gibbs hard at work. Vivian seemed awfully meek and maybe even just a little fearful. That Stan guy was already working as if he'd done it for years and not just started. Gibbs himself was in a bad mood; trying to do his paperwork was difficult with only one hand and he had to constantly choose between coffee and his work.

"She messed up," Chris spoke suddenly from behind him and Tony turned around to see the man leaning against the thin 'walls' separating the teams and their work areas.

"What?"

"Vivian. She _thought_ she saw someone who killed her brother and ran after that something. Gibbs got shot by their suspect, because she wasn't covering his back." Chris took a step back at the sudden burning hot rage, not directed at him, which he still felt as if it were.

Tony hissed. He turned around and almost ran straight to the redhead, but Chris stopped him with a steady hand on the shoulder. "Take it easy, Tony. Gibbs and the Director both ripped her a new one for it. Trust me, although I don't know all the details, she's already being punished."

"She could have... He could be dead..!" Tony forced himself to calm down. Unlike Gibbs, he could do it just fine. Usually. Even if he had to later find some outlet for his rage. "Chris, I swear. Anything happens again because of her, I... I've had enough of people who should know better, doing things like this. These are the people we count on and should be able to put our safety and lives on."

"And I'll let you. She'll be gone from work for a while after finishing her report. Let's see how things go after she's back."

Tony scoffed, but putting his temper on hold again, he sat down behind his desk. It didn't stop him from silently seething however.

Chris wasn't done yet. "There's nothing you can do here now. Go to the hospital and see your team. I'm sure they'd like that."

Muttering something, Tony shook his head, glancing toward Valentine's desk. He had something else he had to do first. "Later."

* * *

It turned out Chris could be relentless when he chose to be, so instead of searching for whatever Val had on Mike Franks, Tony was now in the hospital elevator and on his way to see his boss and Nathan. Finding the right room was not that hard since almost as soon as he stepped out, he saw Nathan who was standing in front of a closed door, looking anxious.

"Nate!" Tony rushed to the older man, seeing his 'taped' nose and the dark coloring around it.

Nathan's voice was full of relief, seeing his partner safe and unharmed. It was one thing less to worry about now. "Tony, thank God you're alright... I'm so sorry for leaving you alone. Anything could have happened and it would've been on my conscience." It still was, the 'what if' and 'it could've happened'.

Tony could only stare at Nathan's face. "It wasn't your fault. I made you go with Val because he needed someone to be there for him. As far as I'm concerned, I had backup."

"So you did take someone with you after all? Thank God for that..."

Tony didn't mention that his idea of a backup had been the shotgun. "What happened to _you_?"

Nathan shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Your Agent Gibbs wasn't too happy I left you at the crime scene without any backup..."

"He did what? _I_ made that choice."

Nathan shook his head. "It's okay. I don't hold any grudges, so don't go there. In fact, I would've done the same to him if the roles had been reversed." He knew he would've.

Tony snorted. "Sure you would. And then you'd feel bad about it."

"You don't know me that well yet, kid."

Tony rolled his eyes, annoyed when he was called kid _._ He nodded at the door. "How's Val?"

"His wife is there with him. They're confident that he's going to make it, but it's gonna take a while before he's up and running again. Meanwhile..." Nathan put his hand inside his pocket and took out a small key. "He told me to give this to you."

"Why?" Tony took the key. He had a pretty good idea what it was for.

"I don't know, but he made me promise to give it to you, only you and no one else."

Tony slipped the key in his own pocket. Ignoring the questioning look from Nathan, he changed the subject, "What's the damage? I'm surprised he made it..."

Nathan shuddered at the memory. "I'm not good with all the mumbo jumbo, but doctor Mallard was able to translate the doctor speech to me. So, it turns out what nearly killed Valentine, it also kept him alive long enough to get the help that saved his life..."

* * *

It was 1 AM, by the time Tony returned. The bullpen had only few lights on, giving it deserted and eerie atmosphere. He was grateful to notice he was almost all alone in there. The only team still hard at silent work was on the other side of the room, so he didn't have to worry about someone seeing him doing what he did. Taking out the key to Valentine's desk, he opened the bottom drawer, revealing a pile of files and a small box on top of them. Taking them all out, he sat behind his own desk, in case someone would think to start questioning what he was doing at his boss' desk.

The files and the box had to wait since on top of everything else was an unsealed envelope. Opening it, Tony started reading.

**_' This is my testimony about a case from ten years ago._ **  
**_In case something happens to me before I get the chance to deliver these to the right people myself,_ **  
**_my lawyer has a key to where the originals are and instructions of what to do if the worst should happen._ **  
**_I also made a voice recording of me reading this letter and_** ** _I have added copies of the case files with this._ **

**_The reason why I did nothing back then was simply because I had no solid proof;_ **  
**_there was nothing I could have done,_ ** **_which would've brought justice to where the justice is due._ **  
**_I also deeply regret to have to admit this, but back then I was just a probie with a bad reputation,_ **  
**_so no one would have taken my words seriously. It would have been my word against his._ **

**_Although it was what forced him into an early retirement,_ ** **_Mike Franks was a highly respected and even feared by some._  
** **_I feared that if I had no solid proof to back up my claims,_ ** **_I couldn't do justice to Agent Howard Paddington,  
his surrogate brother Anthony D. DiNozzo Jr. and miss Jeanne Benoit_ ** _.  
**Two who are now dead and the one who lost his only family with their deaths.**_

**Knowing the situation, I decided to first find the evidence. It took me close to ten years,**  
**but I finally have everything needed to bring out the truth of the now former NIS/NCIS Agent Michael 'Mike' Franks.**  
**With this letter I have attached the proof of what happened during those days, before and after it, and how it happened.**  
**They are all in a chronological order.**

_**Franks, who was my boss at the time, failed to inform the agents who were meant to join my SFA Howard,** _  
_**who was protecting the wife and daughter of Gunnery Sergeant Leroy Jethro Gibbs.** _  
_**While Agent Franks was supposed to provide the backup for his Agent,**_ _ **he was drunk at the local bar during work hours.** _  
_**Instead of fixing his mistake or allowing someone else to take over,**_ _ **he came back to work before he was sober and sent his Agent alone.** _  
_**Agent Howard was killed, along with young miss Benoit. Three other people nearly died with them:** _  
_**Shannon Gibbs, Kelly Gibbs and Anthony D. DiNozzo Jr.** _  
_**The murderer was never caught nor any of his accomplices.** _

_**Agent Mike Franks covered it up and lied in the report. A**_ _ **n innocent fellow Agent took the fall, who then died by his own hand.** _  
_**All this and more will be explained in detail in the files and the evidence I have gathered during the years.** _  
_**As many people as Mike Franks has paid or threatened to remain silent,**_ _ **there are still those who won't or who have regained their conscience.** _

**_As of now, I am leaving everything in the hands of people who have the power to do something about this,_ **  
**_whatever that may be, seeing as after his forced retirement, Mike Franks disappeared somewhere in Mexico.  
I am sending copies of this letter and all the attachments to different people, some delivered by my own hand. _ **  
_**I know from past experience that certain important files have gone missing somewhere between the sender and the recipient.**_

**_—Special Agent Elian Valentine '_ **

After reading the letter, Tony just sat there for a long time almost trembling, out of grief or rage, even he wasn't sure which one it was. Maybe both. Sure, he had known some of this, but to find out it was even worse? Howard and Jeanne had died only because Mike couldn't be a man enough to get some help for his _addiction_. They had to pay the ultimate price because of an old drunkard. There was no honor in that, dying for a reason like that. Howard had deserved more, they all did. And who knew how many other such 'mistakes' there had been covered up during the years. The self-centered drunkard also couldn't do the right thing and admit what he had done. Instead, like a coward he was, Mike had put the blame on other people and then fled to Mexico. With bitter ache, Tony realized it was now twice a man loving the bottle more than human life who had ruined his life and those around him; even beyond that. Although, to be fair, Senior had loved both the bottle and the money.

Tony could still hear Mike's words from all those years ago, which he now knew had been the words of a man who had no right to even utter them.

_**" Our work is important, but it's also dangerous. We give justice to people and sometimes we also protect them.** _  
_**I need to know that I can trust my Agent—my Second In Command—to listen to my orders and obey them.** _  
_**That I can trust he is watching my back, no matter what. Having a good partner is everything with this kind of work.** _  
_**This time we were not working in the field, but I need to know I can trust him to not run off in the middle of a case,** _  
_**leaving me possibly with no partner to watch my back."** _

No wonder Mike had smelled like a too strong mixture of cigarette and some old cologne. He had tried to cover up the smell of alcohol in his breath.

As much as Tony had started making his peace with the past during these last few years, it now came back tenfold of what it had been. Damning Mike Franks for all he had done, he clenched his teeth until his jaw was starting to hurt. He would _never_ forgive the man... Feeling a presence behind him, Tony snapped out of his vengeful mindset for a moment and turned around to rebuke whoever had been spying on him. Seeing no one there, he narrowed his eyes and shook his head at his failing senses. His eyes fell on the picture of Howard on his desk and his mouth turned into a tight line. Reaching his hand on the picture, and before turning it away from him, he spoke quietly, "Don't give me that look."


	9. Reading The Signs

Done washing his hands, Tony looked in the mirror and studied his tired face. The stress and the long hours at work couldn't possibly be any good for anyone, but at least he was finally getting used to this new routine, which honestly wasn't so bad, compared to his previous work. Surprisingly the worry that kept him awake at night was that he would become permanent Agent in team Valentine. Sure, he liked them, he really did; even their new probie was great and they shared a similar taste in movies, which was always a huge plus. But as mad as he'd been at Gibbs before, it was Gibbs he'd followed here and if the old man would suddenly decide that ' _nope, things are fine the way they are_ ', he wasn't sure what to do. He had a hard time progressing his feelings over the matter.

The door to the men's room opened and Vivian stepped inside, glancing around with clear distaste before her eyes locked on him. Tony looked at her through the mirror. "You know this is men's room, right? Are you coming on to me?"

She scoffed. "You? Please..! You remind me too much of my brother. Just the very thought of that is nauseating."

 _To you and me both. Thanks for the mental image I didn't need..._ Instead of voicing any of his thoughts, Tony chose to look amused.

"How are you doing?" she asked too casually.

Oh, he was no fool and he knew there was no real concern toward his well being. He could tell that out of everyone in team Gibbs, she was enjoying the current situation the most. "Couldn't be better. You've looked a little pale lately though. I guess being the Agent of the MCRT is finally getting to you. I must say, that look isn't good on you."

The look on her face turned dark. "Not at all. I've never been better. Stan is amazing to work with; the best Agent and SFA for anyone to have. I think even Gibbs is impressed with him, but there's a first time for everything. He's even calling him by his first name." Even if the boss always got the name wrong, calling Stan Steve.

Tony smiled tightly. "Is that so? Well, good for him and good for you. God for everyone; it has been much more peaceful working here lately."

"I heard we might even get another Agent soon. Hopefully with Burley around, this one will stay... Oh. I hope I didn't upset you, did I? I forgot that _you_ were supposed to join our team." She of course didn't look upset.

"Not at all, Viv. I have the best team I could hope for and a boss who is a real team worker. No hard feelings there."

It was annoying. While she was sure she got him, he wasn't showing it. What was wrong with him that he refused to show proper reactions like a normal person?

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to work." Tony left the room, never looking back.

* * *

"Did you find anything?"

It was almost five months since it all happened; Valentine almost dying, Stan Burley joining team Gibbs and Tony finding Val's research and other files on Mike Franks. Now that the 'ball' was given to Tony, so to speak, Valentine seemed much more relaxed and at ease with his life. Although it could also have something to do with his very near death experience. He was smiling much more lately, which made him look younger. Tony on the other hand was still studying through the files himself, next to his demanding job. He knew he had to soon make a decision of what to do and as much as he was learning to trust Val, he still wanted to make sure everything was done right, which meant he would have to find some—for now nonexistent—time for his own research. _If_ Mike Franks would ever show up again, he didn't want to give the man any leeway.

Nathan had become, if possible, even more resentful toward Gibbs, which was strange since the older man didn't even show up to 'borrow' Tony anymore, which for some reason irritated Tony. Whenever he looked at team Gibbs, Gibbs seemed a little too happy with his newest Agent, Stan Burley. Looking at the old man now, you'd think he had completely forgotten the very existence of one crestfallen Very Special Agent. And if that last spot would indeed be filled in that team, where would that leave him?

"Tony, are you listening?" Valentine asked and Tony smiled joylessly.

"I'm listening and yes, I looked through his contact list, but didn't find a match. Then I realized she _could_ still be there, but using her maiden name and voilà, we do have a match." Grateful for the distraction, Tony happily let work take over his mind. After all, he had a good team to work with and so far the people in here watched his back. He hadn't run into Bolton number two either. He had all the ingredients to finally become a happy man, or at least content, so he had no reason to feel this way. None.

Meanwhile, Gibbs observed Tony who in his eyes seemed too happy and excited about something. He'd been observing team Valentine for weeks now and the more he did, the more worried he became. DiNozzo was becoming far too comfortable in that team and the two of them hardly even talked to each other in these days. With regret, he had noticed Tony almost avoiding him now. As much as work had kept them all busy as it always did, Gibbs knew that part of it was his own fault. He'd been trying so hard to 'earn' DiNozzo back that he had possibly overdone things a little and giving the wrong kind of signs by trying to please the Director and behave. Especially after Morrow warned him about trying to 'borrow' DiNozzo again.

Gibbs stood up, cursing Tom Morrow and the man's promise and a threat, which had put him in this situation in the first place. If he was going to survive yet another painfully long day of this game of pretending in front of the Director, he needed some coffee. ASAP.

* * *

Abby kept hovering near him as she always did when she was looking for an opening to give him one of her bone crushing hugs. Even after all the many months behind them since that first meeting, she hadn't become any less determined to succeed. Secretly Tony was amused and they had made it into a game by the silent agreement; she was looking for that moment when he would let down his guard and he was making sure to not slip.

"Okay. Spit it out."

"What?" Tony was confused. He had come to see Abby for some test results and instead of giving them to him right away, she had made him sit down and then kept looking at him as if by staring hard enough, she could read his mind. Or maybe she was trying be like Gibbs and scare him with just her eyes. Unfortunately for her, she didn't stand a chance next to the former Marine.

"Something's been eating at you for a while now; I can tell. And don't try to tell me otherwise. My Abby sensors are tingling whenever I see you."

"Abby sensors?" Tony repeated amused.

She shrugged. "Why not? Gibbs has his gut feelings. So, what's wrong? Is it about the Bossman?"

"It's nothing like that..."

"Then what else is it? Did Vivian do something again?"

Tony flinched and managed to hide it from her, but she was getting too good at this guessing game.

"Was it about Stan?" This time he openly stared at her and with a sour smile, she shrugged. "I _may_ have heard when she got you before... Don't listen to her, Tony. You know what she's like. She's just using whatever she can to hurt you any way she can. She obviously has something against you and... Wait. Are you _jealous_? Of Stan I mean. I'm sure you know you have no reason to— You are! You know there's no reason to be. I like Stan. I really do. He's way better than any of the other agents Gibbs has worked with as long as I've been around."

No he wasn't. He was just... feeling grumpy because Gibbs seemed to have forgotten him, after everything... Holding back the urge to cross his arms and glare, Tony kept his face impassive and didn't let it show on the outside what he was thinking. But man, it did hurt him where he didn't think it would when Abby talked about Stan. What was even worse though was that he actually liked the man. It really irked him... If Stan had been like Brent Langer or even Vivian, it would've given him a reason to hate him, but no... And since Abby liked Stan, of course it had to mean that so did Gibbs; maybe so much that he wouldn't need _him_ anymore... He really hated how his past insecurities were taking hold of him again. He'd thought he was way past that stage by now.

"Tony... Bossman _tolerates_ him. For you. He's been going to the Director at least once a week, trying to get him to give in and end this joke."

He frowned. "Tolerates? Stan is a great guy and really good at what he does. Gibbs finally has the best kind of partner to work with."

Abby rolled her eyes. "You know, you're really something, DiNozzo... You don't even understand what Gibbs is doing, just for you. He's always nice to _me_ , but even I have seen the way he behaves around other people and never has he even for me changed his own behavior this much. At first it really freaked me out, until I realized the reason why... I am a little jealous, but I do kind of enjoy seeing the Bossman working this hard for something."

"Now you're just making things up."

"Am not!"

"You are."

She was pouting and then suddenly she jumped forward, but just like so many times before, Tony escaped before she could hug him and his bones thanked him silently.

"One of these days I'll get you," she promised and Tony smirked. He was actually looking forward to it, but she didn't need to know that.

* * *

As much as Tony pushed Abby's words to the back of his mind, he did feel much calmer and now with his mind free of the excess worries, he was starting to see things more clearly. For example the way team Gibbs truly barely tolerated their boss and the boss his agents.

"Boss—" Stan started, trying to keep himself from flinching at the 'evil eye' his boss threw at him.

"I don't want to hear it! Work harder! Get me some results! I want this bastard and I want him now!" Gibbs roared and it was one of his more rare shows of temper in the bullpen. Snatching his weapon, he stormed out of the bullpen, leaving his agents work silently. The relief at his retreat was written all over them.

"Gibbs is giving you guys a hard time, huh?" Tony grimaced as he walked closer. He was now feeling guilty because of his thoughts from before. Vivian ignored him, but Stan smiled wearily. It was the first time Tony noticed the dark circles around Stan's eyes and then the weight loss.

"You have no idea. I mean, usually he saves this type of behavior in the field or some dark alley in the field, but I guess this case is a little too much for all of us and we're running out of time."

Tony stared. "Really? He's like this more often?"

Stan shook his head. "Often? I'd say that's one way of putting it... I swear, working for that man is ruining my health." He rubbed his stomach with a wince.

"You could always talk to the Director and file a complaint."

Stan looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "Against Gibbs? Are you crazy?"

Tony chuckled. Leaning closer to Stan's computer screen, he chewed his bottom lip for a moment as he was thinking. "May I?"

"Be my guest. We're already getting nowhere..." Stan sighed and gave him room to type something on the computer.

"Think that'll give you a little more room to breathe around him for a while," Tony finally spoke and Stan stared at the list of names.

"Okay... You have to tell me how you did that."

Tony smirked. "Work smarter and not harder. Have fun you two. If I were you, I would make sure I've got something to give before Gibbs comes back."

"Don't have to tell me..." Stan muttered and looked up, seeing that the young Agent had already left. Shaking his head he wondered how he did that.

"He's just one lucky SOB, that DiNozzo," Vivian spoke out loud, without looking up.

"DiNozzo?"

"Hanging around him long enough and all you want to do is to strangle him or punch that smug self-pleased smirk of his."

Stan frowned at the way his partner spoke. The man had helped them. She should be thankful.

"But he is good at what he does, I'll give him that much." Vivian looked up with a frown, as if surprised she actually spoke those words out loud. "I think that's where he has something in common with Gibbs. They both have some serious personality issues, but because they are good at getting results to show off, people tolerate them."

"You know, you are the first and only one I have heard speak badly of DiNozzo. Our boss I understand, since we've more than once faced his wrath."

"That's because you haven't been around long enough. There have been others, but that excuse of a Detective—"

"Agent, Vivian. He's an Agent just like us."

"Whatever. He gets rid of anyone who doesn't like him. My former partner for example, he totally lost it because of DiNozzo. And then there's his old boss, from when he was still a Detective. The last I heard, both of them are now locked up somewhere."

Of course he'd already heard both stories, so Stan knew better than to let her bitterness infect him. "I think you're making a too big deal out of this." If not making things up.

"I know perfectly well how he—"

"Vivian. Less talking and more working, unless you want the boss to prove just how good his _promises and not threats_ are. I certainly don't."

She muttered something illegible, but obeyed him. Few minutes later, Stan couldn't help himself and he spoke again, partly because he knew how much she'd hate it, "If this list does help solve this case, I think we owe him a drink. Both of us do." He smiled, fully aware of the angry scowl he received from his partner for his comment.

Meanwhile, standing in the shadows and without anyone noticing, Gibbs smiled his own crooked smile. Turning around, he finally left to get his coffee. Steve had gained a few points in his eyes, but it didn't change the fact that he still needed DiNozzo. Maybe it was time for this week's second visit to Morrow...


	10. With Eyes That Know The Darkness

Next Monday morning arrived bright and clear. Making his way toward the Director's office, Tony stopped when he saw Gibbs storming out. "Bad morning?" He winced at the question. He didn't need to hear the answer; all he had to do was to look at the man's face.

"He got a job offer. He took it," Gibbs grumbled.

"Who?"

"Steve." With the work load, Steve really had a bad timing. At least he could have stayed for the full year and not five months.

"Stan?"

"Whoever. Doesn't matter now. For all I know, he's probably by now half way across the Atlantic."

Tony frowned. "Why Atlantic?"

"Don't know where he is, must be Tom's doing, but it sounds about right; leaving without so much as warning me."

"Wouldn't blame him... But Gibbs, he did warn you. I was there, so don't claim you don't know." At the blank look, Tony sighed and leaned against the staircase railing. "On Friday, after he was in such a hurry to finish his every SFA duty and then some."

* * *

_**\- FLASHBACK -** _

_"You done yet?" Tony asked. He was standing next to the desk, which looked like it was about to drown under all the files laying on it. Gibbs' desk looked just as bad and he knew all those files had gone through this same desk first._

_"Almost..." Stan muttered and squinted his aching and bloodshot eyes, to see if he had missed anything, and only then he finally closed the last file. "Done."_

_"If that's what it's like_ _—nothing but mountains of paperwork_ _—I never want to become SFA."  
_

_Stan chuckled and stood up. He added the files from his desk on Gibbs'. If a few slipped on the floor, he didn't look for it. Stretching his arms and fingers, he picked up his bag from the floor. "It's not this bad. Always. I just had to finish all my work up to a week from now."_

_"A week?"_

_"Maybe a little more than that..."_

_Tony smirked._ _"A little? What you're up to? Gonna take a vacation without telling Gibbs? You know he'll shoot and then hang you in the bullpen as a warning example."_

_Stan shuddered at the thought. "Well, he's all yours now."_

_"What?"_

_"Come on. I knew this was just a temporary thing. We all did—do. Thank God for that by the way... I even knew why it was temporary. I'm only leaving a little earlier than I thought I would since I got a job offer. You're looking at the new Agent Afloat."_

_Tony winced, imagining how Gibbs was going to take this. The man might be a bastard, but even he had to know he would be losing a great Agent. "Seriously? You hate working with him_ that _much?"_

_Stan laughed. "Honestly? I would much rather work with Vivian as my boss."  
_

_"I hope you are joking."_

_"At least if I would pull the_ I'm going to the Director _card on her, she would have to start behaving or get fired. But with Gibbs?"_

_"Fair point... So. Agent Afloat. I doubt I could handle that. Too much water and no beach with babes anywhere near, just to start with, and then living in a small space with bunch of other dudes. I wouldn't last a day before throwing myself overboard and hope for the best or worst; not sure which one."_

_"Don't sell yourself short. I've seen you work and I've heard people say nothing but good about you. Well, except Vivian of course, but no one takes her seriously anymore."_

_"People talk about me?" Tony wasn't sure what to think or feel, since usually it meant nothing good for him. It seemed like in general people liked to talk—both good and bad—behind his back, but it was the bad things that he usually ended up hearing about.  
_

_"Sure. All the way from your heroic stunt of saving that old woman from that self-made race car driver, to when you ditched your SFA and backup going after a murderer on your own." Stan gave him a meaningful look at the last part. It was one of those secrets everybody knew. How they knew it? It was hard to tell after the rumor had gone around and grown, until the case of a woman who had nearly killed Valentine had somewhere along the way turned into some epic story where Tony was starting to look more like Schwarzenegger in one of his more badass movies._

_Pointing at his desk, Stan had a playful mirth in his eyes. "You're gonna enjoy taking my spot, once the time is due of course."_

_"Funny."_

_"I'm serious. So, ready to go and get that drink I promised you?" Stan asked._

_Of course that was when Gibbs decided to materialize behind them. "Going somewhere?"_

_Somehow Stan didn't startle too much, nor did he stutter. "Boss. I finished all the work and the working day is over so—"_

_"We're going out. To drink." Tony grabbed Stan's arm and pulled him to the elevator before Gibbs could ruin this._

_Stan remembered then to shout over his shoulder his news to Gibbs, "This was my last day working with you! Director will tell you more!"_

_Gibbs stared at the mountains of paperwork, now on his desk, hearing nothing but roaring in his ears at the very thought that he would have to go through them all._

* * *

"Yeah... I guess I can see where the problem is... I should have given him the chance to speak properly, before dragging him away, but I was kind of afraid what you might do to him." To be fair, Stan hadn't been exactly slow to move either, probably knowing that it would do no good to give his former boss a chance for anything.

Gibbs head slapped him with a glare. "You know what this means to us, don't you?"

"Reset the time back to the year. Look... I'm sorry that Stan left. He's a good man and good Agent to work with." And he was, Tony could finally truly admit that, once he got over his worry and Vivian's taunting of just how _amazing_ Stan was and then the threat of their possible new Agent... And especially when Tony remembered that this was Gibbs they were talking about, and exactly how many agents besides Vivian had worked with Gibbs for more than a few months, before he finally scared them off? He also didn't exactly trust Vivian to watch Gibbs' back. While he wasn't yet willing to admit that he maybe was starting to feel something akin to affection toward the old bear, he did like Shannon and Kelly and didn't want them to have to bury their husband and father, because of a woman who had failed to watch his six. It didn't make him happy, knowing Vivian would be for a while the only partner Gibbs had.

"Hey. Watch your six out there," Tony said when Gibbs moved past him. Gibbs, seeing the honest worry, allowed a small smile despite his dark mood.

"You too, DiNozzo."

Before Tony got the chance to go to the Director, Nathan was calling for him downstairs, "Tony! We got a case, big one!"

The case turned out to be a joint case, with another team and then finally even the FBI added to the mix. That another team was team Gibbs, seeing as it was already two agents short, so their two teams had been temporarily made into one. Even so, it took way more than two or even three agents, plus the FBI, to finish and it was a messy case involving a possible terrorist cell in Washington D.C. They lost a few good men and women of their own at the bomb explosion, which their bad guy had planted inside one of the buildings where they searched him from. All in the name of some 'holy' war.

Fortunately and unfortunately it was also the case where Vivian's time finally ran out. During the intense chase after the bad guy and his ilk, she saw the one responsible for her brother's death; this time for real. While team Valentine had trustworthy partners to look after one another, Gibbs only had her to secure his back. So when she abandoned her duty and ran after 'her guy', Vivian left Gibbs vulnerable. Tony and the others saw it, but were a little too far and late to do anything about it. All they could do from there was to watch in horror.

Seeing the perfect opportunity for what it was, one of the bad guys came out of hiding and shot Gibbs from behind. Several bullets finished the man in an instant, but by then Gibbs was already falling and when Tony ran to him with an ashen face, Gibbs was lying on the ground bleeding, with a head wound and not making a sound or a movement, which could only mean two things; either he was already dead or would be any moment.

* * *

"I quit!"

Tom was startled speechless. Tony was looking so fuming mad it was a miracle he didn't break something. Or someone. "Agent— Tony..." Since he was the Director, Tom had of course already heard what had happened and he wasn't about to let it just be. It _shouldn't_ have happened and he had to make it clear to everyone. Right now he had DiNozzo to deal with though. He couldn't afford to lose him, much less lose another agent.

"I no longer want to do this. It sounded good at the time, it honestly did, but now I know what a bad idea it was. Gibbs has been all the time half of his mind elsewhere and then he can't even trust his own partner to keep him safe when it matters the most, where things should have never gone so wrong, so easily." Tony took a shaky breath, trying to calm himself down. "Put me in his team like it was meant to be or I'll accept one of those job offers. I'm sure that losing another agent so soon won't look good."

Tom smiled weakly. "You aren't leaving me much to choose from, are you? But you are right, this doesn't work as well as it should have."

"Don't worry, I'll tell everyone that I asked for this." Before leaving, Tony turned around at the door and spoke again, "Team Gibbs will be another Agent short. Vivian quit."

When he was gone, Tom sighed wearily at the closed door. "There's _two_ of them now..."

By the time he finally made it to Bethesda, Tony was sweaty and tired—after running most of the way, having given up driving his car all the way thanks to the crowded streets, which was what happened when a certain part of the city was closed for anyone but those working on what was left behind by the terrorists—but he hardly noticed. Instead, his eyes saw the redhead getting out of her car. He couldn't help but wonder how she managed to drive there, when he couldn't.

Before she even made it away from her car, he pushed her back inside and followed, locking the car doors. "What are you doing here, Vivian?"

Vivian licked her dry lips. "I heard Gibbs got hurt and—"

"You _heard_!?" Tony exploded. "He is lying there in the hospital as we speak and we don't know whether he will live or die! His family is there and they don't even know just how bad it was! I had to change my clothes before coming here, because they were entirely covered in _his blood_! I was watching him die and that's on you!"

"I'm—"

"He might already be dead by now, because his own partner decided that avenging her _dead_ brother was far more important than watching the back of someone still alive!"

"I swear, if I had known—"

"He may be a bastard, with a big B, but he sure watches your six when it counts the most!"

"I came back."

"When, Vivian? When did you come back?" Tony wasn't yelling anymore, but somehow it was much more terrifying. This was pure unadulterated fury, which she felt deep in her bones.

"After. After I got him. The guy who is the reason my brother is dead," she answered with a small voice.

Tony didn't look impressed, nor did his fury look any closer to calming down. "Tell me something... What makes your need for a vengeance more important than everyone else's? What made it so important, that you couldn't even wait for someone else to cover his back?"

The silence took over the car. Finally Vivian spoke with that small voice again, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry isn't good enough and it's not me you need to say sorry to. It's Gibbs, his wife and his daughter. I don't give a rat's ass how _you_ feel now. You made your bed, now lie in it and don't you dare complain about it." Opening the door, Tony stepped out. Leaning over the car, he looked inside at the distraught woman and spoke icily, "Go back to the Navy Yard, pack your things and go to the Director. You will quit and if I ever even see you again, I swear you will regret the day you were born."

She frowned and opened her mouth to speak back against the clear order, but Tony knew what she would say before she even let her defiance show on her face. He spoke with a voice and look in his eyes that put fear in her, only second to the fear of God, "I don't easily choose to make people my enemies. You _don't want_ me as your enemy and now that you successfully did it... I swear, I will come after you like a raving wolf and tear you apart, _limb from limb_. You're lucky I haven't received a phone call from Shannon yet, telling me they need a shoulder to cry on, because he's dead. If I were you I'd disappear, in case it happens. Because _if_ it happens and I _find_ you..." His next and last words to her were damning and painful to hear. "Would your brother be proud of you now, Vivian? Would Rex give you a good pat on the shoulder and tell you what a fine job you did? What does something like this do to his memory? I hope it was worth it."

She would love to think that he was only saying those things to scare her, but without a doubt in her heart, she knew he had been dead serious or a really good actor. With a trembling hand, she started her car and drove away, without looking back even once.

Storming through the hospital hallways a moment later, Tony finally found Shannon and Kelly. Shannon was crying silently, hunched on the chair and Kelly was leaning against a young man, seeking comfort from him. Before Tony could see whether she was also crying, he noticed another man standing there. Not Ducky, because the man was elbows deep in all the bodies from this case. Abby was in a similar situation, going through mountains of evidence sent to her lab.

Standing close to the women and drinking his hospital quality coffee was... Mike Franks.


	11. It's Now Or Never

Mike didn't remember him. It became obvious from the moment he glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, but didn't say anything or show any sign of recognition. It had been a little over a decade since they saw each other and one of them had been a teenager, but even with ten years behind, surely he hadn't changed _that_ much? Remembering all the trouble his much too youthful look got him into, Tony grimaced inwardly and hoped he had changed that much.

"You one of his agents?" Mike finally asked, when his curiosity got the better of him, seeing the way both of the Gibbs girls were now seeking comfort from the young man, after Kelly's boyfriend had to leave.

The boyfriend's face had been a sight to see when he saw the way _his girlfriend_ threw her arms around Tony and started sobbing, which was something she hadn't done yet. As much as he did trust Kelly, he also knew that this _—way too_ good looking to be safe—man was her first love. Had this DiNozzo not been someone who carried a gun, he would've punched his face from the moment he came strutting in the room looking all tall and like the hospital hallway was his private catwalk. It hadn't been with a calm mind when he was forced to leave Kelly alone with this man. Or as alone as anyone could be with their mother and some random old dude who probably could still kick ass.

Sitting on a chair and sandwiched between the two women, Tony narrowed his eyes at the question. Mike wondered where the thick air of hostility came from. "And you are?" Tony answered the question with a question. He was going to play ignorant. At least until they were away from the hospital and the women. Oh, make no mistake, he was still carrying a gun and would love nothing more than to pull it out and shoot the bastard, witnesses or no witnesses, but he couldn't possibly do it after just tearing Vivian a new one because of her blind vengeance. Vengeance could be justified to a certain point, but not when someone else had to pay the price for it. He couldn't pull Shannon and Kelly into this, couldn't risk pulling anyone else in this hospital into this.

Mike took a sip of his coffee and studied the young man. There was something familiar about him, but he just couldn't figure out why. Of course, he might have met the kid somewhere before, but how was he supposed to remember all the people he'd come across in the past? He wasn't young anymore and his memory wasn't what it used to be either. "I'm his former boss. Gibbs was my probie."

"Really? I haven't seen you around before." Tony kept his gaze steady, hoping that Franks would think he was being curious, with no hidden agenda behind his questions. It seemed to work.

Mike's answer was short, "Mexico."

Tony raised his eyebrows. "That's a long way from home."

"Is my home now. Once I retired, I traveled some. Ended up staying once I made it there. Never traveled anywhere else either."

Tony almost snorted at the answer. Of course he'd studied Mike thoroughly after getting those files. So he knew all about the 'retirement', which was nothing more than people finally having had enough of his 'Wild West cowboy gone bad' style and gave him a chance to retire with honor and dignity or face the consequences of his actions. "Where in Mexico are you living now?"

"It's this small—" Mike frowned and for the first time he started looking suspicious. Tony silently cursed and wished he'd been more careful. Whatever Mike Franks was, the man was a former investigator and someone whom even Gibbs respected. Instead of finishing what he'd started, Mike started questioning Tony, "So you're my probie's Agent? His probie."

Tony almost smiled at the idea of anyone calling Gibbs probie. "I'm no one's probie. I've been in this line of work far too long for that. I work _with_ him." He'd felt the need to add 'with'. There just had been something so arrogant about the way Franks spoke of him, as if he was nothing but Gibbs' mere underling. He'd like to think he was more than that.

"I see," Mike answered. He didn't look too impressed and he kept looking at Tony with a strange look on his face.

Refusing to let it show just how uncomfortable that stare made him feel, Tony focused on the anger and bitterness instead. Once his feelings were under control, he ignored the older man. Right now this wasn't about them. It was about Gibbs and his girls, the women who both had stolen one of his shoulders and arms. The heavy weight was starting to numb his arms and he was feeling a little claustrophobic, but he sighed inwardly and silently suffered through the suffocating feeling. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Mike never stopped staring at him. He hoped that the man didn't find out the truth about him just yet. It wasn't the right place nor time.

When they saw the doctor walking toward them, Tony was grateful when for a moment everything else was forgotten. The tired smile on the doctor's face could only mean good news and so they all finally relaxed. Well, all but Tony. Shannon started crying again, but this time it was out of relief.

"It was a close call, but he's going to be alright."

After hearing those words, Tony was grateful he was already sitting down; he was pretty sure his legs wouldn't have been able to hold him. Thank God, Gibbs was alright... Tony pressed his face against the palms of his hands, since Shannon and Kelly were no longer holding onto him, but were now rushing after the doctor as he went on to explain everything to them. Tony stood up only after he was sure his feet wouldn't betray him.

As Mike went to follow after the women, he looked over his shoulder and noticed that the young Agent was gone. With a frown he realized he'd never even asked his name...

While the others stayed at the hospital, Tony went back to work. Not that he didn't want to visit Gibbs, but he felt like he'd been forcing his way to where he had no right to be. It was _their_ family and their happy moment. It was not his place to ruin it. Plus, he had to hurry before it was too late.

"Tony!" Nathan stood up when he saw his now former partner entering the bullpen.

"Not now, Nate."

Nathan was relentless. "What's with the Director telling us you're moving into Gibbs' team?"

"I said _not now_. I'm in a hurry. I promise we'll talk later." Tony took the files from his locked desk drawer, but before he could leave, Nathan grabbed his arm.

"Were you even going to tell us?" He sounded angry and Tony hated having to be the reason for it. He really liked this team, he really did, but as crazy as it sounded, he was starting to like Gibbs more. Well, it was a mix of hate-love at the moment, but even so it was far stronger than his care and like toward the other people in this building.

"Yes, I was. I didn't realize Director was going to talk to you already. I've been a little busy today with Gibbs getting shot and—"

"Look. I get it. For a reason I can't understand, you like that SOB. But I thought it was supposed to be for a year and now that Burley left..."

Tony sighed. "Change of plans." Shaking the hand off, he left. Sure, it was kind of nice to be wanted, but it also brought out situations like these.

"You're always welcome to join my team if you ever have enough of them both," Chris Pacci whispered to him as he walked past him. There was a wide smirk on his face. It was no secret to anyone that there was no love between team Gibbs and team Valentine, especially Gibbs and Nathan, and right in the middle of that was Tony.

Tony had a sour look on his face. "You're hilarious."

* * *

Looking at her husband's unconscious face, Shannon kept stroking her fingers gently over his cheek. "I thought we wouldn't have to worry this much anymore... Our stubborn old man just has to prove we were wrong."

"Be careful dad doesn't hear you calling him old." Kelly chuckled. Her previous worry was gone and she seemed happy and relaxed, reading a book.

Mike knew that he should maybe leave and let the family have this moment, but he couldn't. Instead he was hoping that Gibbs would finally wake up from his little slumber so that maybe he could ask some questions about that green-eyed young Agent. _Green eyes_... Mike froze as he had a sudden flash of image of a young boy with eyes just like that; eyes full of pain and sorrow and then anger. He knew he had to know, even if Gibbs was still out of it. "I'm sorry Shannon, I forgot to ask him myself... What's his name? That kid who was with us before."

Shannon smiled softly as she was thinking about Tony. "Tony."

"Tony?"

"Tony DiNozzo. You might remember him. He's the younger brother of your former Agent, the one who was killed while protecting us..."

Of course he was. Suddenly it all made sense. The familiarity. The hostile feeling he got from the moment their eyes met for the first time. The pure and raw hatred, even if it was gone faster than he could blink his eyes. Mike could still remember the last time they had met. He just didn't like to think about the lowest time of his life...

* * *

_**\- FLASHBACK -** _

_"Go home, kid. There is nothing for you in here anymore." Without looking back, Mike left, knowing without even seeing that there would be guilt written all over the boy's face._

_The better part in him knew that he'd done the wrong thing and he knew that his words could destroy the young life for good; he'd seen and heard plenty of stories through his long career to know most scenarios of what could happen. But as much as that quiet voice inside his head was screaming at him for what he'd done and how low he had fallen, it was just that; a quiet voice, which the years and alcohol had learned to tune out. So as he left the building and went to the nearest bar, he felt no shame. No remorse. It was either his life or theirs. It was the rule that overrode every other rule out there._

_Ordering the drink, Mike took his usual spot and stared at the glass in front of him, enjoying for a moment how the cold glass felt against his skin. If there would later come the feelings of guilt, it was easy to forget. All he needed was something stronger than what was in this. But not today... He had to be sober enough when it was time for him to figure out how to explain to his own boss how this all could have happened.  
_

_"Bad day?" the guy sitting next to him asked, looking very much like something Mike would see if he dared to look in the mirror._

_"Just another day at work," Mike answered and raised the glass to his dry lips._

* * *

Mike stood up and was just about to excuse himself, when Gibbs started showing signs of waking up.

Muttering a curse, Gibbs' eyes were barely open when the first thing that he saw was his old boss. "Am I dead? Gone straight to hell..."

"Jethro!" Shannon scolded him, but he kept frowning, looking so confused. The headache certainly didn't help.

"Good to see you again, probie." Mike chuckled. Maybe he could stay just a little longer. He wasn't in a hurry this time.

* * *

As he finally put down the files, Tom Morrow had a deep frown on his face. "And this is all you have on him?"

Tony shook his head. "That's just a footnote. I figured you'd want to leave the heavy reading for later."

"I appreciate your thoughtfulness," Tom said dryly.

"Of course I'll give it all to you. I just wanted to know what you think first." Tony was nervous, even worried, but on the outside he looked calm. "I would've brought it to you sooner, but wanted to first do my own research to add to this, but since he showed up, I couldn't. Now I can only hope for the best."

Tom remained quiet and thoughtful for a while. "He's here now? At the hospital?"

"Unless he took off again, yes."

"Did he recognize you?"

"I don't think so, but he is suspecting something."

Rubbing his forehead, Tom was quiet again. He finally sighed and stood up. "I'll make a call to the SecNav. That case was a big one; he wouldn't want to be left out..."

Tony hesitated. "What if..?"

"I know how to handle him. If not, I know who else to turn to."

"Yes sir," Tony muttered.

"And, Tony..."

Feeling still a little wary whenever the Director called him by his first name, Tony moved uncomfortably. "Yes?"

"When it's just you and I, it's Tom."

"Yes, Direc— Yes."

"One more thing... Let's keep this between you and I, until we have him in handcuffs. I don't want this bastard to leave the country again. Meanwhile, go back in there and make sure he doesn't get away. You have my permission to shoot him if he tries anything. I'll take the full responsibility."

"Yes sir." Tony grinned. He was starting to like his Director.

"And, Tony..." Tom spoke again, when Tony was suddenly a little too eager to leave. "Try not to kill him. Please."

Tony didn't answer, just blinked his eyes twice and then he left.

Tom sighed when he was finally alone. He really was starting to feel too old for this kind of work and these kind of agents. Still, he loved his job and these same agents... Picking up his phone, he started making phone calls. He would do whatever it took to bring justice to one of their best agents. It was a shame that another Agent, who had also been good once, had to go down with it. Not to mention all the many other cans of worms this one could and would open. Once the official investigation begins, worst case scenario, some cases would have to be either tossed out or reopened. Criminals could get out of prison...


	12. Unforgiving

Since Kelly had her school work and Shannon would be starting her new work tomorrow, it wasn't too hard to talk them into leaving him with Mike. Well, it was easy compared to how it usually went when he ended up in a hospital, and they made him promise to 'behave' and let the good doctor and nurses tell him what to do. Promising something and doing it were two different things of course... The doctor had promised that as long as he took it easy, there was nothing to worry about either. He truly had been lucky this time; one inch to the left and he could be one of Ducky's many guests now.

"What're you doing here?" Gibbs finally asked. The drugs and the blood loss were making it hard to keep his mind and words clear.

Not that he wasn't happy to see his former boss, but it wasn't like Mike to just show up there to see his former probie when he landed himself in the hospital. This was the first time he even saw the old man since the retirement years ago and even that hadn't been without so much as letting his agents know that he was leaving. Instead at the end of a normal working day, Gibbs got a pat on the back and the words ' _they're all yours now_ '. By the time he realized what had happened, the old bastard had disappeared from his life, leaving months worth of paperwork behind him, which Gibbs swore to never do again after going through them once.

Mike shrugged. There was a chair in the room, but he'd chosen to remain standing. "My other probie called me and told me you're dying. He's such a liar; you look just fine to me. Seen you looking much worse than this."

Gibbs snorted with disbelief. "All the way from Mexico? This fast?"

Mike scoffed and finally sat down. "Fine. Don't give me that look. You really haven't changed, probie... So, I was already nearby. Still have some people around here to visit."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes suspiciously, hoping his former boss wasn't up to no good again. He really wasn't in the condition to be saving Mike's sorry ass right now. He fought against the drugs in his system, to not let them win and fall asleep in front of Mike of all people. "You're drinking again."

"What? No. Of course not," Mike answered, just a little too fast and Gibbs had his answer. Before he could question more, someone opened the door.

"DiNozzo." Gibbs brightened up and he smiled, his entire mood changing at the sight of the young man.

"Gibbs." Tony nodded his greetings to Mike and without any further act, he moved to Gibbs. He put several black roses in the empty vase next to Gibbs' bed.

"Abby?" Gibbs guessed and Tony nodded.

"She'll come as soon as she can. She and Ducky both."

"Can't wait," Gibbs muttered. He didn't want Abby nor Ducky visit him while he was lying there, helpless. Ducky would most likely start telling him one of those long tales and Abby... God help him if she was high on caffeine.

Tony smirked, knowing full well how bad they could be, with their good intentions. "I'm sure they're not that bad." With a sigh he leaned closer as Gibbs beckoned him. The head slap was weak, but it delivered the message; don't tempt Gibbs while he was stuck in bed, constantly battling to stay awake. "Don't get so used to that," Tony told him, but at the older man's questioning look, he didn't explain any further. Now was not the right time. Not with Mike Franks in the room and when Gibbs' eyes kept closing, before he opened them again, the look on his face daring anyone to say anything about that.

"I'd like you to meet someone." Gibbs pointed at Mike. "This is Mike Franks. He used to be my boss when I started at the NCIS. Back then it was called—"

"NIS. I know, Gibbs. Get some rest now. We'll talk more when you're not trying so hard to stay awake, and it'll help you to get better sooner and get back to work sooner too."

Gibbs scowled at him and still tried to fight against the heavy sleep. "You're... one to talk..."

"I know, I know. Don't have to remind me."

With a suffering sigh, Gibbs finally gave up and fell asleep. There was for a while a heavy silence in the room, broken only by the sounds coming from the machine in the room and Gibbs' soft breathing. The two men, Tony and Mike, stared at each other for a long time. It took just one look in his eyes and Tony knew that the man knew who he was, so he didn't even bother hiding the anger; clenching his teeth together so hard that you could see it on his face and jaw. He'd crossed his arms over his chest and his hands were in tight fists, looking almost white in color.

Finally, after what felt like hours had passed, but in reality was fifteen minutes at most, Tony spoke, "It's been a while." His voice was tight and barely under control.

Mike nodded. "So it seems." He looked wary and in his mind he kept comparing this tall young man—who was oozing inner strength and raw hatred toward him—to the short and scrawny little kid who had still been searching for his own identity.

"Looks like life's been treating you just fine, living in Mexico and all."

"You don't look half bad yourself, kid. Howard would be—"

Tony had enough. He could barely hold himself together before, but the moment Mike had the _audacity_ to mention his brother, he lost it. Luckily no one was then near the room or they would've heard a loud crash coming from there. In a flash, Mike found himself slammed down against the floor. Only the pain in his head and back as a faint reminder that he had been still sitting on the chair just a second before.

"Don't you dare," Tony hissed only barely above a normal talking voice. As much fury as there was in him, he was still just enough in control so that he didn't scream till his throat felt raw, or kill the man with his bare hands. He might have been just a weak and short kid back then, but now he had the power to kill a grown and strong man if he so decided to do. The knowledge of that both scared and thrilled him. In that moment he understood so well the mind of some of those murderers he had put away, he understood it too well, and right now—with this man's life in his hands—it was the only reason why he didn't kill Mike.

Leaning close to Mike's ear, he snarled, "I know the truth, Mike. I know all about it. Your dirty little secret. You had to get that drink _so badly_ that you were willing to do it during work hours, when you should have made sure his backup was there with him. Howard and Jeanne are dead because of you. Your selfishness cost the life of a good man, a man worth so many and much better men than you could ever even hope to be." All that time he kept his voice low enough so that only those in the room could have heard it.

Mike swallowed. It felt like being pinned down by a wild hound, ready to rip his throat open. "Kid..."

Tony grabbed hold of Mike's shirt and with each word he slammed Mike against the floor. "Don't. You. Dare!" Hearing footsteps behind the door, Tony stood and pulled the older man up with him. Pushing Mike harshly against the wall to get some support, he showed the dazed looking man his weapon under his jacket. "You try anything..."

The door opened, revealing Gibbs' doctor. "Everything alright in here?"

Tony smiled slightly. "Yes, now that I know he's going to be alright."

While Tony seemingly paid no attention to Mike anymore, the older man realized that as soon as he even moved toward the door, he was frozen to the spot by the green eyes, which were nothing like the eyes of that still innocent looking kid years ago.

The doctor shook his head. "Well, you better make sure he understands just _how_ lucky he was this time. I mean it. Even if the bullet didn't make it to his brains, a head wound is still a head wound. He's lucky that our biggest concern was the blood loss."

Tony nodded. "I'll let him know. Anything I should know if he decides to return to work early?"

The doctor frowned and then glared at him. Mike couldn't help but wonder how it looked like a baby tiger next to the look DiNozzo had on his face only a moment ago.

Right now however Tony looked perfectly embarrassed and flashed his famous smile. "Not that I would encourage him, but I know him..."

"He really needs to rest now and focus getting better first," the doctor finally answered. After a few more and less friendly words, he left the room, muttering something about cops and doctors being the worst patients.

After they were alone, the silence from before was back. Tony kept touching his weapon in the shoulder holster, looking absent-minded.

"Tony..."

"Be quiet."

"Look. I'm sorr—"

"Don't you even _dare_ utter those words to me, Franks! Sorry is a too little too late!"

"I swear, I had no—"

"Just like you had no idea what you were doing when you framed your own Agent for what you did? You know, the one who committed suicide, because we know how he would've been treated as a marked man; a man who didn't watch his own partner's back, who is now dead, alongside a young girl. I hope you are proud, because you're not getting any redemption from me. You lost your chance for it years ago, the moment you decided to be a coward. The ones you could have gotten it from, are dead."

"How did you know..? Where..?"

"I told you, I know all about it."

After that Mike didn't try to talk to him again, even when he still had one big question on his mind; _what are you going to do?_

Tony took out his phone when it started ringing. Hoping that no doctors or nurses heard, he answered it. His answers to the other person were short and to the point, not giving Mike any room to guess what was being said at the other end. "DiNozzo... Yes... Yes... No, I didn't... Yes... Okay." Ending the call, Tony kept his eyes on Mike, watching him with the eyes of a hungry hunter, watching every move his prey made. Unnerved, Mike chose wisely and didn't move from where he was and waited whatever it was that was coming for him and Tony waited for the men Tom had promised to send. Something about his eyes had worried even the Director.

* * *

When Gibbs woke up next time, it was already next morning. He didn't see Mike anywhere, but Tony was sitting on the chair next to his bed, dozing off with arms crossed over his chest and head bowed low.

"What's going on between you and Mike?" Gibbs asked out of nowhere, somehow knowing that this sleep was like the sleep of a dog.

Blinking his eyes sleepily, Tony stared at Gibbs for a while before the question reached his brains. Rubbing his tired face, he shrugged. "Nothing. You just focus getting better."

Gibbs scowled. "I may not have been fully there at the time, but I'm not stupid. I saw the way you two looked at each other."

"Never said you were... It's nothing, Gibbs. Okay?" _Please._

Gibbs glared at him. "Don't do that, DiNozzo— _Tony_. When I fell asleep... I woke up again. Before this morning I mean."

Tony looked up sharply. "You did? When..?"

"When you knocked him on his back from that chair. I was awake the whole time after that, until those agents came to take him."

"Oh."

They didn't speak again after that and when the doctor came, Tony muttered his goodbye and left the room. Gibbs barely even registered what the doctor was doing or telling him and by the time both Ducky and Abby came to see him, he barely even noticed them. He was feeling conflicted.


	13. I Know Him So Well

By the time Abby and Ducky realized that Gibbs truly wasn't in the mood for their company and was barely even listening to a word they said to him, they finally left him alone; although as hurt as Abby was, she left only after Ducky made it clear to her that Gibbs would need his rest and that they could come back the next day. Meanwhile, faking his sleep, Gibbs felt just a little guilty for doing it even when his wife and daughter came to see him. He knew they didn't even have time for any hospital visits and yet they came anyway, but he needed to be left alone and get his moment of peace to think about everything he had heard.

Part of him didn't want to believe that Mike could have done anything like this; his good friend and mentor, a man he had looked up to and respected so much, despite the faults. Another part didn't know what to think or feel. Finally, one big part of him was mad at himself for never seeing what had been right in front of his eyes the whole time. Especially when he _knew_ what kind of man his former boss was. People had died because of Mike and with dread chilling him to the bones, Gibbs realized that those two people could've been Shannon and Kelly. With a growing rage he realized that it _would've_ been them, had Tony not been there. Tony, a young boy, not a man. He could've lost them and never even known who to really blame. He didn't want to think what he would've done if that had been the reality.

The machine next to him was starting to make distressed sounds and Gibbs had to focus hard to force himself to calm down. The last thing he needed right now was to have the doctors and nurses running there to see what was wrong with him. It was already hard enough to get any peace when people kept coming in his room, and still they had the nerve to tell him to get some 'rest'... After trying to remain calm, but when he couldn't stop thinking about the many 'what if' scenarios, Gibbs finally had enough and he stood up. Ignoring the pain in his head and the weakness in his body, he disconnected himself from the machines, not thinking what the pain would be like once the pain relief would be gone from his system.

* * *

Valentine was a nervous wreck, standing there and watching his former boss. To think that by calling Mike and then gathering all the evidence during the years, that it was he who might be the man's ultimate downfall. The thought scared him a little. The young probie in him was shaking, but he reminded himself that he was the boss now and had his own team to lead, so he couldn't let his former boss scare him into submission anymore. Mike Franks was just a man, no more than that. Maybe even less of a man if you counted his cowardly actions.

Entering the room, Tony didn't take his eyes off the man sitting behind the window. "Has anyone been talking to him yet?"

Tom looked away from the window showing the interrogation room and shook his head at Tony's question. He then looked back at Mike who had remained calm during the whole time. Either he trusted that things would turn out good or then he had resigned to his fate. But there were no such signs there, just calmness and at times something that looked like a smile on his lips. "Not yet. I wanted to give you a chance to be here first, but I'm sure you understand that I can't let you do this yourself. You're too close to this and far too emotionally invested."

Only slight narrowing of the eyes told Tom that the young man wasn't happy, but Tony didn't say anything. Instead he crossed his arms over his chest and looked thoughtful. When he did speak, the tightness in his voice was the only evidence of the barely contained rage that still hadn't calmed down since confronting Vivian and then meeting Mike soon after that. He merely used all of his willpower to keep it on leash. Last thing he needed was to let his Director see his less professional side... He didn't want to gain a reputation of being _Gibbs 2.0_.

"I don't have a good feeling about this. It's not like they died by his hand. Not directly... And then there's all the years between then and now." If only he could do the interrogation, he'd _make_ the man talk. Tony had to admit that his Director was right; he was too close to this, which could cause some future problems.

Tom hesitated. He didn't want to give any false hope. "We'll see about that. Obviously we can't just keep him sitting there forever, but I called in someone to take the case from us and explained the situation. They'll be looking into the evidence and choose the next course of action. Hopefully we'll have enough to keep him on a very short leash if nothing else, to give enough time to work on this case with the kind of care it deserves."

"Who?"

"The FBI."

Tony turned around sharply. "What?"

"I do have there some people who I trust with this. Besides..." Tom hesitated again, wondering how much he should reveal, with the other two agents in the room with them. When he spoke again, it was quietly and leaning closer to Tony. He knew the other two must have noticed that secrets were being shared, but he didn't have time to worry about their personal feelings. "I'm not too sure where our SecNav's loyalties are."

Seeing the dead serious look on the man's face, Tony nodded. He studied the old man behind the glass. "Could explain why he's so sure of himself."

"Could be."

The FBI agents arrived and Tony looked at them surprised, but then he was wondering _why_ was he surprised. Of course it would be Tobias Fornell they would send... Who else? At least he knew the man well enough and how he worked. With that knowledge, Tony relaxed and focused watching the show that was about to begin. Fornell was no Gibbs, but neither was Mike Franks.

* * *

"Shouldn't you be in a hospital?" Chris Pacci stared at Gibbs, completely unsurprised, but somebody had to ask the question.

Gibbs, thankfully fully dressed in his own clothes now, ignored the question and instead looked around the bullpen. "Where..?"

"Interrogation," Chris answered and Gibbs turned around, nearly falling flat on his face, had it not been Chris and his quick reflexes saving him with a steady hand. "Let me guess... AMA? Are we going to get the doctors calling soon and telling us you have disappeared without a trace?"

Pulling free from the helping hand on him, Gibbs left without answering and with as much dignity as he could, when he was still feeling frail and weak as a newborn kitten.

Watching him go, Chris shook his head and called Ducky. No pity for the idiot, and it was better if somebody with actual medical knowledge was aware of the situation...

When he finally found the right one, Gibbs stepped in the observation room as quietly as he could, thankful for the dim lightning in there. Standing close to the door, he saw Tony, Tom, Val and another Agent. All of them were focused watching Mike Franks and the two agents in the interrogation room with him. To Gibbs' surprise, Fornell was the one doing the interrogation.

"Why don't you do all of us a favor and stop evading the questions," Fornell was saying to Mike who was glaring at him and clearly not cooperating.

Watching the scene play for a little while longer, Tony finally turned away to look at Tom. "I bet he now regrets for not taking that lawyer."

The Director laid his hand over the young man's shoulder and whispered something in his ear, which no one else in the room could hear. Gibbs automatically leaned a little closer, but with that movement he revealed himself.

"What are you doing here?" Tom frowned at his Agent who was looking like the slightest breath of wind could knock him over.

Tony stepped away from Tom and looked almost uncertain. "Gibbs... Shouldn't you be in the hospital?"

Gibbs shrugged. Instead of answering, he nodded his head toward Mike, regretting that small movement when the pain shot through his head and made him dizzy. Now that he was away from the hospital, his time with the pain relief was running short fast. "How's he doing?"

Misinterpreting the question, the look on Tony's face darkened. "He's starting to show some cracks, but I bet since he wasn't holding the gun, and he knows how the game goes, he's going to do the dance and walk away with much less than what he deserves."

"I meant Fornell."

"Fornell?"

"He's good, but so is Mike and he doesn't know Mike the way I do; by that I mean knowing all his trigger points, what sets him off and what buttons to press to raise those charges just a little higher or at least buy some more time. I can make him dig his own grave. I'm going in."

Tony was now openly staring at the older man, or his back now. The arms, which he had previously crossed over his chest, were hanging down uselessly at his sides.

"Gibbs! You can't just—!" Tom started and they watched as Gibbs left the room.

Unsurprisingly, only a moment later they saw him enter the interrogation room where Fornell stopped talking in mid sentence. The glare on the Agent's face changed into something almost like concern when he saw the state the other Agent was in. Mike, when he saw his former probie walking in, went from angry to smug. Fornell and Gibbs shared a few whispered words and by the time Gibbs sat down and faced Mike, it was all business. While Mike was still smiling, it was forced. Although he still didn't believe that Gibbs of all people would go against him, his own gut had finally kicked into full gear, after all those years of silencing it with alcohol. Now the only drinks that had been given to him were coffee and water.

Looking back at it couple of months later, Tony would think how unsurprising the turn of events were. The only shocking thing was Gibbs actually being surprisingly calm for a change, but that could have something to do with the fact that he had to save his strength just to be there. Gibbs kept his eyes on his former boss and then little by little he pushed down the walls the other man had built up. Mike Franks went ballistic and the whole thing was over by the time he had his hands around Gibbs' throat.

"That idiot!" Tony hissed and turned around when he saw that Gibbs was finally leaving the room, supported by Fornell as his adrenaline fueled strength was fading fast. The other FBI Agent—now accompanied by another Agent—had restrained Mike Franks, who in the end had digged his own grave, with some generous help from Gibbs. Gibbs had indeed bought some time, but anything could still happen. From now on Mike would be Fornell's problem and case to work with. But for now all was good. Almost.

"Tom!" Tony raised his voice when the Director hadn't reacted in any way. The older man had turned around and was now pretending to be looking through his contact list on his phone. Even Valentine had looked away at some point and was now glancing over his shoulder uncertainly, his back still toward Mike. His face still red from the screaming, Mike at least seemed to be finally resigned to his fate as sanity slowly returned.

"What? I'm sorry, I wasn't listening," Tom answered with a tight smile, finally looking at Tony and then he had almost pitying look on his face. "You know, if you ever find a need to have a career change, please come talk to me first. Gibbs can be a..."

"Bastard?"

"That too." Morrow shook his head with a pained look and he glanced at the other Agent in the room, the only one who hadn't spoken a single word since stepping in the room. "Make sure things are finished properly. I'll go make sure that nothing in this will be turned against us. He didn't use any violence or even raised his voice there, but as soon as the lawyers hear the name Gibbs, they are going to try everything they can to destroy our case... Make sure the camera recording doesn't get _lost_ like it did last time."

"Lost?" Tony looked at the Agent when their Director left the room. The Agent didn't say anything, but when Gibbs and Fornell joined them in the room, his eyes automatically looked toward Gibbs and then back at Tony, with a ghost of smile on his lips.

"Of course. That was a stupid question." Tony rolled his eyes and then he rushed to help Fornell take Gibbs to the chair in the room.

"Don't," Gibbs said when Fornell took out his phone and called the ambulance.

After checking the red finger marks around the neck and seeing that at least Gibbs wasn't in any immediate danger of dying, Tony let go, "What am I going to tell Shannon and Kelly if you get killed? Again!"

Too spent to talk, Gibbs glared at anyone looking at him. When Ducky entered the room, not a moment too soon, Gibbs found himself too out of strength to face his old friend's furious tirade about two idiots—Gibbs and Tony—and how he would have to lock them up and watch out for 24/7 if he wanted to make sure they remained safe and healthy. By the end of it, Gibbs finally lost his consciousness.

* * *

By the time Gibbs was well enough to leave the hospital _,_ for real, it was several days later. The doctors of course gave him _strict_ orders to not go back to work yet and to take it easy for many days to come, but he was Gibbs; he didn't take orders, he gave them. So it was no surprise to see him at work the very next morning, sitting behind his desk and looking like he had lost something.

Walking in the bullpen and seeing his new boss sitting there, Tony hid a smile. "In the bottom drawer. You left it on your desk before you... There wasn't room anywhere else."

With a grumble, Gibbs finally found his glasses. Once he made sure DiNozzo wasn't looking at him, he put them on. Grudgingly. When he started on the mountain of files that had been waiting for his recovery and had even mysteriously grown during the time he was gone, Gibbs finally looked at Tony who was leaning against one of the desks close to Gibbs and was now studying a stabler of some kind. "Where's Blackadder?"

There was poisonous mirth in Tony's eyes as he smiled. "She quit."

"Without a word to me?"

"Well, you are known to lose your agents without them always even talking to the Director first."

"I'm sure you had nothing to do with it."

Tony looked almost startled and he set the stabler back on the desk. "Gonna get me one of these... So, the Director told you?"

Gibbs had a half smile when he remembered that conversation. "More like hinted that she quit because _someone went Agent Gibbs on her_. Those were his exact words."

Tony chuckled. " _Went Agent Gibbs on her_? Now I'm insulted. Besides, he wasn't even there, how would he know what happened?"

Gibbs stared at him quietly, thinking how _he_ would not have shown that much restrain. "You've done good. Even if you're not my Agent."

"I have to start from somewhere if I decide to stay in your team. Can't have people like her use her career as a weapon for revenge and almost kill the people she works with."

"What?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Are you sure you should be out of the hospital, Gibbs? You're slow today. I had a word with Morrow and as soon as you will be _officially_ back to work, I will be part of team Gibbs, if you still want me."

Gibbs' eyes widened in surprise and when the news fully registered, he smiled. The work suddenly forgotten, he stood. "Come on. I need some coffee."

"That's all you're going to say?" Tony sighed when Gibb smirked and walked to the elevator. " _Of course_ that's all you're going to say... You know, it'd be nice to hear something like, _I've been waiting for this,_ or even something slightly cheesy."

"I knew this would happen."

"No you didn't." Gibbs didn't answer and Tony scowled at him as he hurried after him. "You didn't know it!"

Whether Gibbs had known or not was irrelevant, but for some time there would be peace in the building and all was well.

* * *

It was a few days later when Tony went to his new desk that he saw there a big envelope waiting for him. It didn't look like any of his usual work mail, so feeling suspicious he studied it first with his eyes only. Then carefully shaking it few times—couldn't be a bomb if it made it on his desk—he finally opened it and suddenly it would've made more sense if it _had_ been a bomb. It was from Mike Franks, who was currently in a hot water now with his case was wide open and all his past actions investigated. The files were what Howard had apparently started working on, but never got the chance to complete when he died. Or that's what the letter inside claimed. Tony stared at the files for a long time before finally opening them and reading the contents inside. It was his father, or rather, it was the beginning of information and collected evidence against Senior.

"This doesn't change anything," he spoke as if Mike was there, with a hint of anger and uncertainty in his voice. Most of all, he felt resentment. The man had no right to do this, to make him feel almost something like forgiveness starting to creep in his heart. He had no right.

Had the files not been something his brother had worked on, _for_ _him_ , Tony might have thrown them in the nearest trashcan, but this was another rare piece of his brother and he couldn't do it. So he took the files with him and left work. He then put the files in the safe he had opened not too long ago. He may have moved on with his life, but he wasn't quite ready to face this yet. To tell the truth, he didn't even care. He had walked away from that life and never looked back. He wasn't going to start doing it now. Senior was as good as dead to him and he knew the old man felt just the same about him, if not worse.

* * *

They were sitting in Gibbs' front yard, drinking beer and talking about their new case. Things were finally starting to calm down after the last stormy months and the two of them worked well together, even as a two man team, and the Director couldn't be happier. Even if he did keep telling them to fill those two empty spots in the team. For both Tony and Gibbs it felt like they were two pieces of a puzzle that had found out by accident just how well they fit together—but of course for either one of the two to admit that out loud was never going to happen—and for now, there was no room for others.

"You know... In another life, my brother could have been your boss, if he hadn't been already promoted elsewhere before Mike quit."

"Was he that good?"

Tony smiled teasingly at him. "No. Better. You know, could hold his temper under control much better than some... For starters."

"If I were you, I'd watch your mouth."

That fearless smile only grew wider, even with that hint of sadness, which was always there whenever Tony mentioned his brother. Both Gibbs and Shannon had made it a habit of asking questions about the man, hoping that with time it would get easier to think and talk about Howard. "Sure thing, boss. Whatever you say." Tony shrugged and thanked Shannon, when she brought them two plates filled with food. The men glanced at each other when they saw that more than half of the plate was filled with vegetables... Under the eyes of Shannon, they quietly ate the 'rabbit food', silently swearing to stop by a steak house on their next lunch break at work.

A few weeks later there was another sealed envelope left on Tony's desk. It looked less suspicious than the other one and this time there was a note scribbled on top of it, instead of being hidden inside. There was no name there, but he knew it was from Tom Morrow even without recognizing the handwriting.

' _ **I think we both know you are ready**_.'

_**The End** _


End file.
